Network Rail seeking to change agreements made wrt noise and vibration on the new improved lines through North Oxford

[Jonathan Clark]

Dear All,

I have been passed the information below which is about Network Rail's (NR) latest plans for the Wolvercote line. If you read it you will see that in planning application 16/02507/CND (click on the link to be taken to the planning application), NR are seeking to remove conditions which they previously agreed to, to install 'Silent Track' through Wolvercote, and to monitor noise and vibration post implementation at 6 monthly intervals for a number of years.

The information below includes a template for you to use for an objection if you think it appropriate, and various email addresses of councillors and our local MP.

I have forwarded this on because I think we are all potentially affected by the increase in noise and vibration we can anticipate from the planned increase in speed, weight and frequency of trains on the line. As the content below states, this is not about stopping progress, or the very welcome attempt to move freight from road to railway, but it is about making sure NR fulfil their promises to local residents to mitigate environmental damage these welcome improvements will cause.

Regards,

Jonathan Clark

Dear All,

Published on Streetlife about 8 hours ago. 

Network Rail's plans for the Wolvercote line

Wolvercote John about 8 hours ago in Walton Manor

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This was discussed in a facebook  forum, but since it is so important I thought it worth transcribing to here to get the maximum coverage..

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Network Rail has submitted an application 16/02507/CND to remove the condition to install Silent Track and remove restrictions on the number of trains that may use the line. Residents have until 23 November to lodge their comments with Oxford City Council.

https://www.oxford.gov.uk/info/20210/railway_developments/1146/project_update_-_10_october_2016

At present there are about 21 objections, a very low number. If no more objections are received the Council may well capitulate.

I would be extremely grateful if you would lodge your objections. They don't have to be too long. Attached is an example which you are welcome to take as a template and adapt so that it meets your own situation.

Please note, this is not about halting progress or a complaint about the existence of the line - I know it is extremely handy and offers a good alternative service into London. However, the potential damage to Wolvercote, it's residents, pupils at the local school (where the line passes) and the community as a whole are not being considered. Or rather, they are - in this instance - considered secondary to profit.

Network Rail can minimise the damage by investing slightly more in the track being used (and other measures, such as restricting the speed of trains and their frequency) but they are seeking to have these agreed conditions removed.

Please consider sending your own objection - it can be as long or as short as you like. Here are some relevant email addresses:

planning...@oxford.gov.uk, DSTE...@oxford.gov.uk, mike...@btinternet.com, cllrb...@oxford.gov.uk, nicola.bl...@parliament.uk

Civic & Community

Wolvercote John8 hours ago

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My attempt to attach the template message failed, so I will paste its contents in the comment...

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Objection to Application Number: 16/02507/CND Network Rail’s application to remove conditions (2), (3) and (4) (varied by 16/0406/VAR) of 15/00956/CND

 

To whom it may concern:

 

I am a resident of First Turn and my property abuts the railway line which will serve between Oxford’s main station and Oxford Parkway.  I have been concerned about the development of this line since it was announced several years ago.

Along with my neighbours on First Turn and in the surrounding area I was given assurance that the impact of this development on my quality of life would be lessened by a number of measures; including noise mitigation (especially the deployment of the most up-to-date rail damping technology e.g Silent Track), restrictions on the number and speed of trains that would use the line, and monitoring of vibration.

Silent Track offers ‘at source’ mitigation and in March 2015 at a meeting organised by Oxford City Councillors Network Rail made a clear commitment to use it for this line.  They assured the Councillors, local MP and Rail Minister present that they had the funds available.  My understanding of the current situation is that Network Rail* are claiming that these funds are no longer in place.

I appreciate that the infrastructure of the country needs to evolve, that change is necessary and that we all want to live in a forward-looking society.  However, this seems to be a case of putting profit before people.  As a resident of the local area I know that my quality of life will be affected by this line, and I am prepared to adapt.  However, I also believe that Network Rail have a responsibility to residents along the course of the line, and that you, too, bear a responsibility to all of us.

 

The second, and no less important point, relates to the removal of restrictions on the number of trains.  The potential is clear for this to result in excessive use of the line – both during the day and, critically, throughout the night – and this will affect the modelling of (and therefore the predictions of) the projected impact of noise and vibration.  I am extremely concerned that the points raised above will combine to the significant detriment of my family and local residents.

I urge Oxford City Council to reinstate the Noise and Vibration Monitoring, to insist on the use of the best possible rail dampening, and also to enforce the restriction on the number of trains using the line both throughout the day and the night, all as agreed in June 2015 at the West Area Planning Committee.

 

I look forward to hearing from you

Yours sincerely,

 

 

*Please note that I refer to Network Rail but as a layperson I must admit to being thoroughly confused as to who is owning the different parts of this project.  I have variously received communications or been aware of the involvement of several companies:  Network Rail, Chiltern Railways, EWR, Evergreen.  I hope you will respond to the sentiment of this letter, even if some detail is incorrect.  

[Jane Roberts]

Hello,

Thanks for distributing this Jonathan. We on the HRRA committee became aware of this only yesterday, and will be submitting our comments on behalf of the street today. 

The more objections they receive the better, and I hope some residents will make time to do this.

NB The deadline is TOMORROW!

Best wishes,

Jane Roberts

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[Dima Pasechnik]

I suppose it's a part of NRs cost-cutting plan, as they went way over
budget with GWRs electrification plans, and are postponing them...
(cf. e.g. https://www.ft.com/content/00a92d22-a5c4-11e6-8898-79a99e2a4de6)

(Printable) words are failing me when I try to describe qualities and
wisdom of the present government... :-)

Dima

[Jonathan Clark]

Apologies to all for multiple postings on this topic.

It has been pointed out to me that the deadline for objections is TOMORROW if the information forwarded to me is accurate! Mind you, this is not stated (it should be) on OCC's planning website.

Also the address for Nicola Blackwood is wrong, it should be nicola.bl...@parliament.uk (note the dot before mp). Mind you, the responses she gives these days are anodyne and totally in line with tory party propaganda if my recent experience is any guide.

Sorry for forwarding an email with the wrong address.

Regards,

Jonathan 

planning...@oxford.gov.uk, DSTE...@oxford.gov.uk, mike...@btinternet.com, cllrb...@oxford.gov.uk, nicola.blackwoodmp@parliament.uk