A level crossing in Featherstone which was closed over safety concerns after youngsters were spotted playing ‘chicken’ with trains will reopen after a major upgrade.

A six-figure sum will be invested at Sportsfield level crossing, which was shut temporarily on April 23 under emergency powers after repeated dangerous misuse.

Palisade fencing was erected to prevent access and regular patrols carried out by Network Rail and British Transport Police to check that the misuse had not been displaced to nearby crossings.

Education and community engagement have also continued, with rail safety workshops delivered to thousands of children and young people at 13 schools in the area.

New warning lights and CCTV will 'transform' Sportsfield level crossing in Featherstone.

placeholder image — New warning lights and CCTV will 'transform' Sportsfield level crossing in Featherstone.

Work is set to start next week, starting October 5, on upgrading the location to a Miniature Stop Light crossing.

The system uses red and green lights to give a clear indication of when it’s safe for people to cross. CCTV will be installed to deter misuse and support safe operation and monitoring of the crossing.

The crossing will also be moved 40 metres east from its current location due to signalling and operational requirements.

Darren Robertson-Wilson, Network Rail level crossing manager, said: "Following four near misses and a number of other misuse incidents in a short period, we temporarily closed Sportsfield level crossing while we developed a safer long-term solution.

" These changes will allow the crossing to reopen with significantly improved safety measures in place.

"We’re grateful for residents’ patience while this work is carried out and we’ll continue to work closely with the community as the project progresses.”

Joe Jenkinson, Wakefield Council’s service director for planning, transportation and strategic highways, said: “We are supportive of the relocation of the crossing and the upgrade of access and safety features to make the level crossing much safer for our residents.

“We recognise the importance of this footpath crossing to local people and the inconvenience its closure has caused.

" We’ll continue to work closely with Network Rail to monitor the progress of the work and make sure that this important access route reopens for the local community as soon as possible.”

The current target is for the upgrade to be complete and the crossing reopened before the end of the year.