DISTRICT planning chiefs have ruled against proposals for a controversial pedestrian footbridge at Wareham railway station.

Purbeck District Council planning committee members, who visited the station before deliberating their decision, rejected Network Rail's footbridge plan because of its "excessive scale" and the length of time it would add to pedestrian journey times.

Explaining its decision, planning committee chairman Cllr Peter Wharf said: "The committee concluded that the proposed alterations to the bridge, due to their excessive scale, would damage the look of the surrounding area, including the listed station and the bridge itself.

"The committee also felt that the bridge would introduce an unjustified increased length of travel time for pedestrians which could encourage them to travel by car instead."

Network Rail engineers - who considered a number of options to replace the existing level crossing - finally decided the best way forward was to build access ramps to the existing footbridge, which would be completely renovated.

These plans, when unveiled in June, received a mixed reception from town residents.

Nick Fagan, chairman of Wareham Town Trust said they'd been described by many as a "sledgehammer to crack a nut."

He added: "The building of these ugly ramps would cut the town in half and have a severe impact on our attractive listed station building.

"Let's say no to this unnecessary proposal."

Wareham railway station's pedestrian crossing has been identified as a public danger by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, and Network Rail is working to phase out similar crossing across the UK.

Electric barriers were switched on at Wareham in September 2010 to stop abuse of the crossing, where warning signals were frequently ignored.

Two years later Network Rail bosses confirmed the footpath crossing was earmarked for closure.

Cllr Wharf confirmed: “The committee considered carefully the recommendation by council officers to grant permission but, after deliberation, the committee took the decision to refuse permission."