THIS IS the view across families' back gardens that will be exposed to passers-by if a railway footbridge is built in Cottingham.
Village councillors borrowed a cherry picker from volunteers putting up the Christmas lights to highlight their fears the bridge would ruin neighbours' privacy.
Network Rail wants to build it to replace a gated crossing on the track itself.
But families fear the bridge, which will tower 30ft above their gardens, may become a trouble hotspot.
Ros Jump, who was joined on the cherry picker by fellow East Riding councillors Geraldine Mathieson and Lena Slater, said: "I just couldn't believe it when we went up.
"Network Rail is using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut without any thought of the impact on people's lives.
"These residents do have a right to use their property as a home."
The most exposed gardens belong to houses in Exeter Street, where families say they already have a problem with unruly youths.
Because the road is much lower that the track and the bridge needs clearance for electrified trains, it will be 30ft higher than the homes, the councillors say.
They are due to meet East Riding planners to suggest alternatives to the bridge, including replacing the existing footbridge, which is yards down the line at Cottingham station.
They will also suggest installing an automated on- track crossing with higher fences.
Cllr Jump said: "That line will never be electrified, not in my lifetime.
"They're using a standard design that is just completely over the top. It's crackers."
The suggested bridge would be accessed by ramps on both sides, which are intended to make life easier for disabled people.
But the councillors fear most wheelchair users will be put off by the effort involved.
Cllr Jump said: "It will be bad enough for mums with a buggy, but for people in a wheelchair, it will be a nightmare.
"They will be absolutely jim-jammed by the time they reach the ground."
The bridge is being built as part of upgrade work to go with a supermarket planned for Station Road beside the tracks.
Its developer, Innovating Space, agreed to give Network Rail £250,000 towards the project but the councillors believe the total cost is likely to be about £1m.
