PLANS for a subway under a dangerous railway crossing in Malvern are being considered.

Network Rail and Worcestershire County Council are looking at options to improve safety at the Jamaica Road/Hanbury Road crossing in Malvern Link.

The location has been the site of three deaths in recent memory.

It claimed the lives of two people in the late 80s. Frank Shelton, aged 67, was killed in 1988 and 70-year-old Lily Tandy died the same year while walking on the track.

In 2001, Dave Boycott, 73, was killed at another crossing from Jamaica Road to The Americans playing field. He was hit by a train while trying to rescue his wife's dog from the tracks.

The crossing is also regularly used by pupils from Dyson Perrins High School who live in the south part of Malvern Link.

A petition was set up to try and get the crossing closed following the first two deaths but this was rejected at the time by British Rail, which said too many people wanted it to remain open.

After Mr Boycott's death, local people voiced their concerns once again and called for a safer crossing to be installed.

A feasibility study was eventually carried out, funded by Network Rail and the county council, after pressure over many years from West Worcestershire MP Sir Michael Spicer.

The result of the study was published at the end of April and includes options based around a subway.

Mike Davis, Malvern Hills Highways Partnership manager, said discussions would now be held to decide on the best solution to crossing the track. He said there was no indication of a timescale yet.

Sir Michael Spicer said: "I hope something can be done. There have been fatalities on this crossing and at the very least I hope a warning system can be set up.

"I'm waiting to hear what the county council says in terms of costs. I just want them to study the options."