Network Rail submits final proposals to close or modify level crossings across Suffolk

Friday 24 Mar 2017

Network Rail submits final proposals to close or modify level crossings across Suffolk

Region & Route:: Eastern: Anglia; | Eastern

Network Rail has applied to the Secretary of State for Transport for a Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) to close or modify 24 level crossings across Suffolk.

The company has been working to reduce the risk that level crossings pose and has developed proposals to manage the possible closure or change of use of around 130 level crossings in Anglia across Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Essex, Havering, Hertfordshire, Southend and Thurrock.

Public consultation events took place across the county in June, September and December 2016. Following analysis of all the responses from the public and other stakeholders, many plans have been adapted. Seven level crossings have been removed from the project; Great Barton, Steggalls, Finningham, Rectory Road, Beecroft, Haughley Green and Westerfield footpath level crossing.

Closing level crossings and diverting to alternatives will make the railway safer by removing the point where people can come into contact with trains. The closures will also help improve efficiency and reliability. The closures will facilitate potential future developments for faster and more frequent services.

The crossings identified for potential closure include those where:

there are private rights only
people can easily be diverted to where a nearby alternative exists
a new public route to a nearby alternative can be provided

The proposal also looks to downgrade level crossings to non-motorised users. None of the crossings in this proposal involve closing public A or B roads.

Richard Schofield, Network Rail’s route managing director for Anglia, said: “We have carried out a comprehensive programme of consultation to fully understand the impact of our proposals and I’d like to thank everyone who contributed. As intended, the feedback we received has informed our final proposals, and we await the decision of the Secretary of State. We understand that public rights of way are an important part of life in this region, and have maintained connectivity where possible in our plans. We are committed to improving safety and efficiency at level crossings as part of our Railway Upgrade Plan.”

Closures, if agreed, will take place from late 2018. Network Rail will also continue to modify or close its highest risk crossings as part of its Railway Upgrade Plan.

Notes to Editors

Notes to editors

In order to secure the powers necessary to implement the proposals, such as the dedication of public rights of way across private land, extinguishments of existing rights and alteration of rights including downgrading of roads, Network Rail will apply in March 2017 for three Transport and Works Act Orders (TWAOs) to the Secretary of State for Transport. The TWAO applications are grouped by county as below.

The county of Suffolk (The Network Rail Suffolk Level Crossing Reduction Order);
The county of Cambridgeshire (The Network Rail Cambridgeshire Level Crossing Reduction Order);
The county of Essex, the county of Hertfordshire, the unitary authorities of Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea and the London Borough of Havering (The Network Rail Essex and Others Level Crossing Reduction Order).

To inform the application, we consulted with the public and relevant statutory bodies. The feedback submitted to us and an explanation of how Network Rail has taken account of it forms part of a consultation report which supports the Transport and Works Act Order application.

Copies of the applications and supporting documents are available to view and download at www.networkrail.co.uk/anglialevelcrossings

Letters of support, representations and objections can be made by anyone by the following dates:

For Cambridgeshire: 25 April 2017.
For Suffolk: 5 May 2017
For Essex, London Borough of Havering, Hertfordshire, Southend and Thurrock: 12 May 2017

These should be sent to:

Secretary of State for Transport c/o Transport and Works Act Orders Unit,
General Counsel's Office, Department for Transport, Zone 1/18, Great Minster House,
33 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 4DR.

You can also contact them by email: transportandworksact@dft.gsi.gov.uk.

An objection or representation must:

Be received by the Secretary of State on or before the dates above.
Be made in writing (whether sent by post or email)
State the grounds of the objection or other representation
Indicate who is making the objection or representation
Give a postal address to which correspondence relating to the objection or representation may be sent

If you are sending a letter of support, objection or other representation by post or e-mail, please provide a postal address and state “Network Rail Anglia Level Crossing Reductions TWA Order” in the subject of the letter or email.

Contact information

Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41

Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries

Journalists
Network Rail press office - Katie Mack
Media relations manager (Anglia route)
0330 8577 132
Katie.Mack@networkrail.co.uk

About Network Rail

We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.

Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.

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