THE level crossing at Cradley Heath railway station still remains closed over two weeks after the crash which broke the barriers.

Motorists are awaiting the reopening of Woods Lane in Cradley Heath and disabled passengers are being urged to travel to Stourbridge Junction for better access.

Network Rail promised the barriers at Cradley Heath railway station would be replaced and the road reopened immediately after a vehicle crashed into the crossing on Monday, January 13.

Cradley Heath resident and Labour's parliamentary candidate for Halesowen and Rowley Regis Stephanie Peacock has urged Network Rail to get the crossing open as soon as possible.

She said: "Local people have had to wait over a fortnight for this level crossing to be re-opened.

"It's simply unacceptable that wheelchair users and mums and dads with pushchairs cannot use one platform of the station."

Posters have been placed around the station this week advising wheelchair users to: "Travel through Stourbridge Junction and return to Cradley Heath on the next train" in order to leave the station.

Miss Peacock added: "If it was the bosses of Network Rail that used Cradley Heath station I have no doubt this problem would be sorted by now.

"They should pull their finger out and get this level crossing mended. The delay is simply unacceptable."

She added: "Figures announced last week show that Network Rail has spent £130m on closing 10 per cent of the country's level crossings since 2010."

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "A vehicle struck the barriers at Cradley Heath railway station, which have to be replaced entirely.

"The delay in the reopening of the crossing is in part down to waiting for the new barriers to be delivered."