Work to replace Frinton’s landmark railway gates is set to start this week – but campaigners claim it has not been given the go-ahead yet.

Network Rail wants to replace the manned gates with a CCTV-operated barrier as part of a £100 million upgrade on the Colchester-to-Clacton line.

David Foster, chairman of the Frinton Gates Preservation Society, said although works on the junction are set to start, the gates cannot yet be replaced because a Level Crossing Order has not been signed.

“They can’t touch the gates without a level crossing order,” he said.

“We want to work with Network Rail to resolve our issues and find a solution but they won’t come to the table to listen to us.

“They want to run it like a train set and have forgotten about the history and the community.

“All they care about is train passengers and staff, but we want a community railway, not a train set.”

Network Rail said associated works at the nearby junction were due to begin on Tuesday, but Essex County Council leader Lord Hanningfield wrote to Iain Coucher, chief executive of Network Rail, to ask for the works to be postponed.

Network Rail said it would be starting the works as planned anyway.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: “Road closures were in place on Tuesday for utilities work.

“We plan to commence construction in the next few days.

“The level crossing works are expected to be complete by the end of February 2009.”

The Office of Rail Regulation, which has given provisional approval for works to upgrade the level crossing, said a Level Crossing Order has not been signed by the Secretary of State and that works to the crossing itself are not expected to take place until next year.