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Monday 29 Apr 2013

Selby swing-bridge improvements deferred following colliery landslip

Region & Route:

Network Rail has today announced that engineering renewal works on the Selby swing-bridge will be deferred in order to provide the best possible rail services during the repair work associated with a landslip at Hatfield colliery.

Phil Verster, route managing director for Network Rail explained: “We seriously considered doing renewals work on the Selby swing-bridge while also repairing the Hatfield landslip. This was only going to be feasible if we could still provide a reasonable train service to our communities on the east coast. I am today announcing that the scheduled work on Selby swing-bridge will not go ahead until we have first restored rail services along the Hatfield route.

"We have carefully considered what timetable can be run should the works at Selby and Hatfield be done at the same time, and, while many services can run, it will put too much strain on the network without fully satisfying the needs of our train and freight operators. We are in the business of running trains and we listen to our customers. It remains true that the Selby swing-bridge is showing its age. We will now focus on completing intensive maintenance work to keep the swing-bridge safe and reliable until the renewals work can be rescheduled.”

In addition to the work at Selby swing-bridge, similar renewals improvements to two other bridges on the route to Hull will also be deferred. These works were scheduled for the August bank holiday weekend.

Mr Verster added: “At this stage we cannot provide a date when the Selby and Hull bridge works will be rescheduled. Once we have greater clarity on the programme at Hatfield, we will put the bridges back in the plan. I assure passengers that they will be given at least 12 weeks notice of this re-scheduled work so that they can plan their journeys.”

Work on site at Hatfield colliery and the neighbouring railway are progressing well but the nature of the material involved continues to challenge engineers.

On the continuing disruption, Mr Verster said: “I fully appreciate the importance of restoring a direct rail service to communities and businesses in Cleethorpes, Scunthorpe, Goole and other places affected by the Hatfield landslip. My team and I are committed to do so as quickly as is possible. We continue to aim for restoration of services in July but the risk remains that the railway may not be repaired until September this year.

“We are doing everything to safely accelerate the repair of the landslip and to reinstate train services. We are also working closely with the operators of passenger and freight traffic to make best use of the railway network during this difficult time. I remain grateful for the patience of our communities, our passengers and our freight customers."

Several engineering projects that were planned for completion during the months from May through to November are being re-planned by Network Rail in order to keep as many train services running as is possible. In particular, the GNGE line project is being adjusted in order to allow up to 140 freight trains each day to be accommodated on the Brigg and Lincoln lines. These trains are essential to the UK economy and carry, amongst other goods, oil for aviation fuel, steel critical for production processes and coal for electricity generation.