A pregnant woman in labour could be stranded at her home, unable to reach hospital because Surrey County Council has run out of money for road works.

SCC says it cannot fund the work necessary to install a second level crossing at Ashtead station for use when the permanent crossing is closed for maintenance.

Residents living close to Ashtead Common, whose only access to their homes is by the level crossing, will be cut off for five nights while Network Rail carries out major repairs.

The work will mean that the level crossing will be closed to traffic from 11pm on Saturday, January 31, to 8am the following day and from 11pm to 6.30am each night from Monday, February 8, to Friday, February 12.

It means that householders on the common side of the railway will be cut off unless they walk across the level crossing and anyone needing the use of their car will have to leave it parked at the station on the other side of the crossing.

One of the people who will be isolated during the maintenance is a woman who is expecting a baby.

It was only after negotiation by Ashtead Residents Association that Network Rail guaranteed access for emergency vehicles at all times during the repair work.

David Baker from the ARA said: “I was told that they might not be able to maintain emergency cover while they lifted rails but I told them it was completely unacceptable – you have to have emergency cover.”

But a second crossing to be used during maintenance is a long way off in spite of negotiations between councillors, Network Rail and SCC.

Network Rail will fund the crossing, which is actually on the track, but the rest must come from Surrey.

An SCC spokesman said: “Unfortunately, we do not have any funding available for this. We have agreed to get an estimate of the costs of the work and then meet with Network Rail again. We are awaiting the estimate.”