Public events to showcase latest plans to close or modify Suffolk level crossings: stop look listen level crossing sign

Tuesday 23 Aug 2016

Public events to showcase latest plans to close or modify Suffolk level crossings

Region & Route:
| Eastern: Anglia
| Eastern
| Southern

People across Suffolk are being invited to a second round of consultation events next month in Ipswich, Bury St. Edmunds and Stowmarket to see Network Rail’s updated proposals to close or change the use of 31 level crossings across the county by altering the public Rights of Way network.

Initial proposals were presented to the public at a series of consultation events in June, and people were encouraged to come along to ask questions and share any concerns or ideas before any decisions were made. Based on further assessments and the feedback received from the first round of consultations, the initial proposals have been refined into more specific options for each crossing.

This is part of a broader consultation across Network Rail’s Anglia route, which covers Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Southend, Thurrock and Havering. The consultation has identified around 130 crossings that could be closed or modified.  

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 reliability and may enable separate future developments for faster and more frequent train services. 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: “The initial consultations were very successful and we gathered a lot of useful feedback. I’d encourage anyone interested to come along to see the updated proposals and share any concerns or ideas with us, before we put these forward under Transport & Works Act Orders early next year. 

“The proposals include small changes to how people cross the railway and the closures will help us reduce the risks that level crossings pose, improve safety and reliability of the railway for the future.”

The crossings identified for potential closure include those where:

  • there are private rights only
  • where pedestrians/cyclists/horse riders can easily be diverted to where a nearby alternative exists or
  • where a new public route to a nearby alternative can be provided
  • where a crossing could be changed to be used by pedestrians/cyclists/horse riders only

Consultation sessions will take place across the region from next month. The results of the consultation will feed into agreed plans that will then be put forward under Transport & Works Act Orders early next year. Closures, if agreed, will take place in 2018 and 2019.

Network Rail will continue to upgrade or close its highest risk crossings as part of its Railway Upgrade Plan, delivering a safer railway for passengers and those living close to the rail network.

Information about the plans is available on the Network Rail website, and those who can’t attend an event can complete a questionnaire online at www.networkrail.co.uk/anglialevelcrossings Questionnaires close 21 days after each event.

 

Notes to Editors

Mott MacDonald has been appointed as the principle contractor to deliver the consultation.

Consultation sessions:

Tuesday

13/9/16

Ipswich

Ipswich Town Hall

14:00 – 19:00

Cornhill, Ipswich IP1 1DH

Thursday

15/9/16

Bury St. Edmunds

The Centre

14:00 – 19:00

St. Johns Street, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 1SN

Friday

16/9/16

Bacton, Stowmarket

Bacton Village Hall

14:00 – 19:00

Church Road, Bacton, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 4LJ (opposite St. Mary’s Church)

 

Bury St. Edmunds

Please be aware that the closure of Great Barton (S26) level crossing, which was included in round one of the consultation, was concurrently being progressed under s.118A of the Highways Act 1980. Following confirmation of the Rail Crossing Extinguishment Order, the crossing is now legally closed and has therefore been removed from this project.

Stowmarket

The closure of Steggalls (S14) and Finningham (S15) public footpath level crossings, which were included in round one of the consultation, were concurrently being progressed under S118A of the Highways act 1980. Following confirmation of Rail Crossing Extinguishment Orders, these crossings are now legally closed and have therefore been removed from this project.

 

More information can be found at www.networkrail.co.uk/anglialevelcrossings

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.

Follow us on Twitter: @networkrail
Visit our online newsroom: www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk