PLANS to remove staff from the UK’s only high speed railway crossings in a residential area have been postponed.

But Network Rail insisted its controversial plans to monitor the two Steventon crossings from Swindon by CCTV would still go ahead.

The crossings in The Causeway and Stocks Lane in Steventon near Didcot are the only ones in the country in a residential area on a high-speed line.

At present, the two crossings are operated 24 hours a day by a crossing keeper in a crossing box in The Causeway.

The keeper already uses CCTV to monitor the Stocks Lane crossing from the box, but Network Rail plans to monitor both cameras from Swindon.

It was planning to make the change by December 5 but work to move control of the crossings will now not take place until some time in the new year.

Spokesman Mavis Choong said it was not possible to name a date for the change because the Office of Rail Regulation was reviewing the consultation process.

She said: “We have to get their permission to make any changes on the network structure – they recognise the need for that change.”

In a further statement Network Rail stated no jobs would be lost and that pupils at St Michael’s Primary School have been given education on “the dangers of misusing level crossings”.

Steventon Parish Council chairman Angela Einon said many residents had been concerned by the plans.

She said: “We are pleased that the village will have a manned signal box for a little longer and that the consultation process is being reviewed. I think Network Rail was surprised by the strength of feeling about this.”

She said: “Villagers have made it very clear that they would prefer a manned crossing because they think it is safer.”

On Thursday night, a motorist from Abingdon was injured when a train hit his car on a level crossing at Shiplake.