Media centre

Tuesday 7 Oct 2008

BARNHAM RE-SIGNALLING PROJECT: ADVANCE NOTICE OF TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURE AT WOODGATE LEVEL CROSSING

Region & Route:

| Southern: Wessex

| Southern

To facilitate the £22m Barnham Re-signalling project, Woodgate level crossing (A29) will be closed for 28 hours from 00:01am on Friday, 7 November 2008, to 04:00am on Saturday, 8 November 2008, for essential engineering works.

During this time Network Rail will be undertaking complicated and sequenced electrical work to connect the level crossing to the new Barnham control centre, which will help increase train service reliability and performance.

This activity requires a road closure and a diversionary route. The road closure and diversionary route has been agreed by the West Sussex County Council and Network Rail has notified local emergency services.

Throughout the closure there will be no vehicle or pedestrian access. Network Rail will be providing a disabled access minibus to transfer people around the closed level crossings. This is expected to take approximately 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the amount of traffic.

On Sunday, 9 November 2008, the level crossing will be tested at different times throughout the day. When the tests are taking place temporary traffic lights will be used to manage road traffic across the level crossing.

Jerry Martin, Network Rail Programme Manager, comments: “Works at Woodgate level crossing are vital in helping us deliver a range of improvements along the West Sussex route that will further increase service flexibility and performance.

“Given that this activity takes place on a weekday, we feel it is important to provide the local community and those living further a field with advance notice, so they can plan their journey accordingly.

“We are confident that as the project is completed passengers will notice and appreciate the benefits to their journeys.”