Many residents of Stoke Gifford have been left feeling tired and angry after “deafening” work which took place on the railway line at Bristol Parkway train station on Saturday 21st July kept them awake during the night.
Residents were frustrated that no prior warning was given that the work was going to take place and due to the warm weather, many people had their windows open during the night and were unhappy to be awoken by the loud bangs coming from Parkway Station.
One resident living in Stoke Gifford complained:
“How are people meant to sleep through this at 3am when it’s 18 degrees at night with no choice but to have the window open? My house is actually shaking.”
Another commented:
“The problem is they don’t appear to want to inform any of us that it’s going to happen. Very poor comms and PR. They should be letting us know the dates when this is likely to take place, we have a newborn baby and may have considered sleeping at a friend’s or family member’s house last night to avoid the disruption.”
Reader videos of the work taking place and many more comments can be viewed in a post on our Facebook page here.
However, other home owners have said that they did receive notification of the works:
“We’ve been getting letters through our door telling us of the works going ahead. I think some people are missing them though as they are addressed to ‘the occupier’ so it may look like a marketing/junk communication.”
A spokesperson from Network Rail has apologised for the noise last weekend, saying:
“We recognise that residents have put up with a lot of work and we apologise for the continued disruption as we near completion of electrification in the area.”
Network Rail have claimed to have sent letters to local residents in February explaining when work would be continuing and they are planning on sending out more information in the coming weeks. The website is also due to be updated later this week.
Unfortunately, the noisy night that took place on Saturday was not a one off as work will be continuing in the area every Saturday night and Sunday until the end of October.
More information: Railway upgrade work in South Gloucestershire
Photo: A 110-tonne Kirow crane lays track at Bristol Parkway in 2017.
UPDATE: The following work programme appeared on Network Rail’s South Gloucestershire webpage on 27th July 2018 (the first update to the webpage since 27th April 2018):
Piling work
Bristol Parkway (Hambrook Lane)
Saturday 28 July – Sunday 29 July
21:00 – 08:00
Bristol Parkway (Hatchet Road Bridge)
Saturday 28 July – Sunday 29 July
21:00 – 08:00
Bristol Parkway (Elizabeth Crescent)
Saturday 28 July – Sunday 29 July
21:00 – 08:00
Bristol Parkway (New Road area)
Saturday 28 July – Sunday 29 July
21:00 – 08:00
UPDATE: Network Rail published a residents’ letter on 30th July 2018.
A drop-in information event has been arranged for Thursday 16th August, from 4.30pm to 7.30pm, at the St Michael’s Centre, North Road, Stoke Gifford BS34 8PD.
Are they putting in one Pylon every Saturday night or something? Hell of a noise. I live several streets from the railway line, but all I could hear from 3am until about 05:30am was the world’s largest pile driver.
Could the project be any slower?
And I’m a senior engineer myself, so don’t think I don’t know about project management and how ridiculous this scheme is.
Partially electrifying the line and. Having diesel electric trains is just inefficient. Either go full electric or save yourself the money of installing all these overhead lines.
A drop-in information event has been arranged for Thursday 16th August, from 4.30pm to 7.30pm, at the St Michael’s Centre, North Road, Stoke Gifford BS34 8PD.
Work dates and locations (11th/12th August):
Bristol Parkway (Curtis Lane near Hambrook Lane)
Saturday 11 August – Sunday 12 August
21:00 – 08:00
Bristol Parkway (Hatchet Road Bridge)
Saturday 11 August – Sunday 12 August
21:00 – 08:00
Bristol Parkway (Elizabeth Crescent)
Saturday 11 August – Sunday 12 August
21:00 – 08:00
Bristol Parkway (Sandringham Road)
Saturday 11 August – Sunday 12 August
21:00 – 08:00
So did the complainers move in before the rail track and station was built or did they just assume it would never be upgraded?
Letters were sent to all properties within a certain radius – if some got the letter (we did) and some didn’t I wonder if Royal Mail are to blame rather than Network Rail.
Be grateful change is happening, I’ve spent the last few months sleeping with either my TV on low or ear plugs in when I’ve not had to wake up so that then I can sleep through it – things could be worse, I could be the person out there working in the dark!
Is anyone else devastated at what an eyesore this has caused to their surrounding area?
Surely this has caused widespread devaluation to property, and will certainly make properties much more difficult to sell.
Before the electrification works, it was hardly noticeable that there was a railway there – and I live close to it. Now there is the constant, hideous sight of these pylons – they could hardly look more ugly.
Is there any plan to disguise or conceal these monstrosities, or to compensate residents for this? I’m sure I know the answer to the latter…
Is there an open forums for residents? I haven’t been able to find one.
Best regards all.