Train depot plans approved
Adam Hewitt • Published 10 Dec 2010 09:00
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NETWORK Rail won backing for its plans for a train cleaning depot near homes after making concessions to worried neighbours.
Councillors voted in favour of its plans for a new depot, road access, control centre, staff accommodation, train carriage wash room, under-train cleaning facility, fuelling point, offices and car park along the Great Western railway between Cardiff Road in the east to Wigmore Lane in the west. They also approved the demolition and enlargement of the Cow Lane bridges and remodelling of Little John's Lane bridge.
Residents in Cardiff Road and Barry Place oppose building work near their homes as they fear noisy trains will keep them awake as they are being cleaned, moved and parked for the night.
Neighbour Rachel Trett told council planners on Wednesday night: "This is a very quiet family residential area, blocked off completely from the industrial part of the road. These cleaning facilities could go anywhere. There will be sidings directly round the back of our homes where 154 train carriages will cleaned every night."
But Steven Green from Network Rail said: "We can't move it any further west without building on land which isn't owned by Network Rail."
He listed changes to the plans after residents' feedback, including reducing lighting columns from 9m (30ft) high to less than 1m (3ft), raising a noise barrier, and moving the whole facility four or five metres (13-16ft) further away from homes. He said trains would not be left with their engines running and he pledged to re-examine the scheme if residents are unhappy with the noise levels once it is built.
Cllr Tony Page, who organised a meeting between residents and Network Rail earlier this year, said when the railway is electrified in a few years, noise will be vastly reduced as diesel trains are phased out.
He added: "We've seen considerable movement by Network Rail on a number of key issues. Local residents can be reassured about changes that have been made and will be made."
Councillors also welcomed Network Rail's decision to rebuild the Cow Lane bridges big enough for two lanes of traffic to pass underneath, as well as a path for cyclists and pedestrians, saying it would "at last" remove the notorious traffic bottleneck.
They voted unanimously to approve the plans but residents vowed to continue their campaign against the new buildings.
Ms Trett said: "We're feeling disappointed that no serious consideration was given to another site, and we weren't given any other details about why they feel no other site is appropritate."
This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 10 Dec 10
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