A landowner has issued a stark warning after witnessing three police emergencies within just one week at Warleigh Weir, one of England’s most popular swimming spots near Bath. He fears it’s only a matter of time before a fatal accident occurs.
Warleigh Weir attracts tens of thousands of visitors each summer who come to swim in the River Avon. However, the only access crosses an active Great Western Main Line railway, with trains travelling at speeds up to 90mph. The crossing lacks barriers and a bridge, relying solely on a flashing light signal that many visitors blatantly ignore.
Johnny Palmer, an entrepreneur and activist who owns the island at Claverton, has formally addressed Bath & North East Somerset Council, Network Rail, and highway authorities demanding immediate safety improvements. In June 2026, Palmer received three separate eyewitness reports highlighting dangerously reckless behaviour on the tracks.
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On June 14, visitor Rob W witnessed a family standing on the tracks taking photos and intervened to stop them, warning that trains moving at 70mph won’t be able to stop in time. Five days later, another visitor, Sarah W, saw two groups using the railway line for photos, including one walking beyond the area monitored by cameras. “I have watched people lie down on a 90mph railway to take selfies,” Palmer said. “The next person might not get up.”
The most alarming incident came from Manjir Shah on June 20, who saw a family drop shopping bags onto the tracks and walk away. A bystander had to rush onto the active rail line to remove the bags just before a train passed, narrowly avoiding what could have been a derailment. Shah has vowed never to return.
Palmer highlights that near-misses are common: in summer 2017, Network Rail recorded five close calls in just five weeks at the Claverton crossing. Yet, no significant safety measures have been implemented since.
The dangers extend beyond the railway line. Ferry Lane, the single-track country road serving the weir, becomes dangerously congested during peak season, with pedestrians often trapped between cars and narrow stone walls. Additionally, multiple near-misses have occurred on the adjacent A36 trunk road as visitors cross it on foot, many wearing flip-flops and carrying picnic bags.
Police responses to the area have been frequent, addressing not just safety concerns but also antisocial and violent behaviour.
In response, Palmer has formally requested that the public right of way across his land be extinguished under sections 118 and 118A of the Highways Act 1980, arguing that making the railway crossing safe is not reasonably practicable. He is working with Network Rail, who are expected to support this application. Palmer has pledged to fund infrastructure himself, including a managed access system requiring visitors to complete safety inductions before crossing.
He criticises the council’s stance that the footpath cannot be closed due to heavy usage, pointing out that this very popularity is the root cause of the risks. “It’s not an argument to keep it open—it’s an argument to close it,” he says.
Palmer warns bluntly of the consequences if officials fail to act: “I’ve been warning authorities for years. If someone dies because they ignored these warnings, everyone will know who was told and when.”
Interestingly, Palmer notes that the atmosphere at the site has improved dramatically since opening a wood-fired sauna on the island. The sauna attracts booked, safety-conscious visitors who respect the environment and follow rules—contrasting sharply with the uncontrolled day-trippers. This wellness-focused community embodies the respect and care Palmer believes the site deserves and serves as a positive model for the wider area.
“The sauna guests get it,” he says. “The problem is uncontrolled access bringing everyone else.”