Part of a historical railway line in West Yorkshire is to be removed over road safety concerns.
The “Nagger Line” in Stanley near Wakefield was built in the 1700s to transport coal from local pits.
Now the track is to be lifted after Wakefield Council received complaints of damage to cars crossing the line.
The authority is hoping to move some of the the rails to a nearby field and install a display board outlining their history.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, an engineer’s report said the lines which run across Lime Pit Lane are twisted and badly damaged, causing them to move and lift parts of the road.
Councillor Matthew Morley said he appreciated “their importance to people in the local community”.
“The lines are well over a hundred years old and part of our history,” he said.
“People don’t want to see them go but keeping them in the road is no longer an option for safety reasons.
“We are looking at retaining them on both sides of the road on the pavement.”
The waggonway from Lake Lock opened in 1798.
It used horse-drawn carriages to transport coal from the mines to the Aire and Calder waterway.
Much of the former line has been incorporated into Trans Pennine Cycle Route.
Mr Morley said that the council was happy to listen to any suggestions or comments about the future of the rail lines.
“I have always wanted to make them a feature of this area so future generations understand the history of the Nagger Line,” he said.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
