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Monday 21 Jan 2013

Network Rail holds information centres for West Coast works

Region & Route:

Network Rail is holding a series of ‘drop-in’ information sessions in Staffordshire in support of a proposed programme of improvement works in the Norton Bridge and Stafford area.

Submitted to the Planning Inspectorate, the application plans and documents relating to the improvements are available for public viewing.

In 2011 a preferred scheme was announced which included plans for a new flyover at Norton Bridge to remove a major ‘bottleneck’ on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) to provide a more reliable, efficient and cost effective railway.

The proposed new section of track (incorporating the flyover) will be approximately 6.8 km in length and will run from Little Bridgeford in the south, passing to the west of the WCML and Norton Bridge, before rising to cross over the WCML and reconnect with the Stone/Manchester branch line. In addition, a single railway track will reconnect the north bound slow railway line to the WCML north of Norton Bridge.

On completion, the investment will deliver:

• Two extra fast trains per hour in each direction between London and the North West
• One extra train per hour in each direction between Manchester (via Stone) and Birmingham
• One extra freight train per hour in each direction through Stafford

Network Rail has already held four separate rounds of public consultation regarding the improvements with the local community, which has helped to shape the scheme. An application to construct the new flyover was also submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for consideration in December 2012. That application has now been accepted for examination by the Planning Inspectorate and will be examined by an Inspector during 2013..

The application documents are available to view at Stafford Borough Council and Eccleshall library and also electronically on the Network Rail website at www.networkrail.co.uk/Stafford-NortonBridge and on the Planning Inspectorate website at http://infrastructure.planningportal.gov.uk/projects/west-midlands/stafford-area-improvements-norton-bridge-railway/ . In addition, a series of informal ‘drop-in’ sessions where members of the project team will be available to answer any queries will be held on the following dates:

• Tuesday 29 January 2013 (2pm-4pm) Stafford Borough Council
• Thursday 31 January 2013 (3pm-5pm) Eccleshall Library
• Wednesday 6 February 2013 (10am-12pm) Stafford Borough Council
• Saturday 9 February 2013 (10am-12pm) Eccleshall Library
• Wednesday 13 February 2013 (2pm-4pm) Stafford Borough Council
• Friday 15 February 2013 (9am-11am) Eccleshall Library

Should you have any queries regarding the Stafford/Norton Bridge proposals you can:

• Email them to staffordconsultation@networkrail.co.uk
• Call the helpline on 08457 11 41 41