DISCUSSIONS over the safety of Minety level crossing are ongoing after the road was reopened on Monday of last week.

The road on which the crossing lies has been closed for several months due to planned upgrades to convert it into an automated level crossing.

Resident Peter Lavery, who lives near the crossing, has disputed the council’s claim that the crossing is fit to be open as a safety audit he commissioned claimed that the crossing was currently unsafe.

Major projects officer for sustainable transport, highways and transport Mark Wiltshire wrote to a Wiltshire councillor explaining that national guidelines had been followed and that the safety audit commissioned by Network Rail was carried out by a qualified auditor.

On the basis of this Wiltshire Council have maintained that there was no reason why the crossing should not open.

However he also said that he was willing to consider the recommendations of Mr Lavery’s audit including give way markings and one way priority at the crossing.

The other two recommendations in the audit commissioned by Network Rail included cutting back a hedge to improve visibility and installing a mirror to aid in seeing over the crossing, both of which are on the way to being completed.

Mark Wiltshire added: “It is noteworthy that 2 professional stage 3 audits have been carried out and neither have raised fundamental issues regarding the crossing.”