Not CfN...... his assistant news gatherer.
From
Worcester News (1/11/2010):
TRAINS are causing angry homeowners to lose sleep because their noisy engines are being left running overnight. Residents of Rainbow Hill Terrace, off Rainbow Hill, Worcester, are suffering sleepless nights because of the loud rumbling diesel engines of trains parked at nearby Worcester Shrub Hill station.
Train bosses could be fined up to ^50,000 if they do not reduce noise, an environment officer at Worcester City Council has warned. In the meantime, residents cannot install double glazing or other sound-proofing because of the restrictions which apply to their grade two Georgian terraced homes, which are sited within a conservation area. Further concerns have been raised about fumes from the diesel engines. which are kept running all night to power maintenance and cleaning work. Environmental health chiefs at Worcester City Council and train bosses continue to investigate noise complaints connected to the servicing depot, which is operated by London Midland.
Douglas Gregor, who lives in Rainbow Hill Terrace, said: ^It starts after midnight and goes on right through to six or seven in the morning. It really disturbs sleep. In these listed buildings you can^t install double glazing. There is no barrier to the sound and in summer time you need to keep your windows open for fresh air. We also get fumes from the diesel engines but it^s the sound I really object to. It^s really intrusive.^
A neighbour who declined to be named said the situation had been particularly bad over the last three to four years. She said: ^They^re parked up overnight and they keep the engines running all the time. It seems an awful waste of fuel and it^s bad for CO2 emissions.^
A similar situation was reported in your Worcester News last June when residents of Kennet Green, also near the station, complained about noise from stabled trains run by operator First Great Western. Martin Gillies, environmental health manager for Worcester City Council, said he was investigating an ^ongoing noise-related^ complaint and said he was in discussions with Network Rail and the train operator. He said: ^If we^re satisfied that they^re causing a statutory nuisance we^re obliged to serve abatement notices on the company.^ He is currently awaiting the results of a noise assessment. Mr Gillies said train companies could be fined up to ^50,000 for causing a noise nuisance. He said: ^The complaint refers to the servicing depot operated by London Midland. However, there are other noise sources in the area as well.^
A spokesman for London Midland said: ^We were first contacted in 2008 by a resident of Rainbow Hill Terrace who was concerned about lighting levels. We introduced successful measures to adjust the lighting and received no further complaints about this particular issue. We have since received a further complaint about noise and diesel fumes. As this is a busy location there may be a number of contributing factors causing noise and fumes, so we are carrying out a full investigation to understand how we can manage and reduce levels. We are working closely with Worcester City Council to resolve these issues.^
More trains will be stabled at Shrub Hill next year ^ but they will not cause any noise because the engines will be turned off says the train operator. The move will allow an extra two morning services from Worcester to Paddington. First Great Western is providing more overnight stable sidings at Worcester for high speed trains because of work being carried out in Reading from next May. In a joint statement First Great Western and Network Rail said the trains would be stabled in the Hereford sidings, situated behind platforms two and three and east of Worcester Shrub Hill station. The trains^ engines would be switched off, meaning no disturbance to residents living nearby, it said.
^FGW▸ plan to make regular use of these sidings from May next year to reduce the mileage of empty trains travelling back to depots (thus lowering our carbon footprint),^ it said. ^This will also create two additional morning trains to Paddington that currently start at Cheltenham Spa.^
