Cocklers still use crossing COCKLERS are continuing to access beds from Kents Bank, despite the closure of a railway crossing in the village and the reopening of traditional access points in nearby Flookburgh.

A single vehicle is now using Cart Lane to access the cockle beds in the northern reaches of Morecambe Bay despite months of negotiation to deter cocklers from using the thoroughfare, a disappointed Grange Town Council was told on Monday.

The continued use of Kents Bank to access cockle beds comes four months after hundreds of cocklers descended on the tiny seaside village after Holker Estates imposed a permit scheme on its land that had traditionally been used by cockling gangs.

The move sparked a huge reaction from local people who said the gangs were making their lives a misery by clogging local roads, dropping litter in the quiet residential village and urinating in public.

Despite the reopening of traditional access points by the estate and the temporary closure of a railway crossing that had been used by cocklers in Kents Bank, some cocklers are adamant that they will use Kents Bank.

Grange-over-Sands beat policeman PC Collin Morris told the meeting that he was looking to get the access from Cart Lane gated off to prevent its use by cocklers.

The move comes as Network Rail considers a request by English Nature to permanently close the railway crossing at Kents Bank to vehicles, apart from the emergency services and Queen's Guide to the Sands Cedric Robinson.

The closure follows serious concerns that cocklers were not using the crossing on a railway line, which is used to transport radioactive material to Sellafield safely.

English Nature was also concerned that cocklers' vehicles were damaging the salt marshes at Kents Bank.

Grange's South Lakeland district councillor, Bill Wearing, said that the situation at Cart Lane was being closely monitored.