Extremely noisy railway work could 'ruin Christmas' for hundreds of people

Network Rail will carry out 12 hours of vibration signal piling in North Oxford on Christmas Day and Boxing Day as part of its ongoing upgrade plan.

Residents, councillors and parishioners of St Margaret's Church – just 300m from the track – have hit out at the plans and demanded the work be cancelled.

The rail firm said after 'careful consideration' it opted to do the work from 8am to 8pm on the two holidays instead of the alternative – six weekends worth of overnight work in January and February.

In a letter seen by The Oxford Times, Network Rail warned residents the work could be 'extremely noisy' but that it would try to complete it as quickly as possible.

The Rev Andrew Bunch, who will be conducting two services at St Margaret's Church during the piling work on Christmas Day, said: "It really depends on the level of the noise but it will be disruptive for the area, especially when people are expecting it to be quite quiet on a day like Christmas Day.

"I am concerned about it, the railway line is not that far away from the church at all."

He added that he would consider putting an official complaint to the rail firm if the congregation was not appeased in the meantime.

He said: "One of my parishioners has written to Network Rail and if the response is not very positive I will encourage people to send them a deluge of letters."

New signal posts will be installed around Walton Well Road Bridge and Sheepwash Channel Bridge – off Rewley Road – with a machine, which the firm said was quieter than using conventional hammer piling.

But it warned hammer piling could be carried out if the machine was unsuccessful.

The section of track between Oxford Station and Wolvercote has been subject to overnight and weekend work on numerous occasions over the past couple of years as part of the £200m Oxford Corridor Project.

It has included signalling improvements, the replacement of Aristotle Lane bridge, track remodelling and the construction of the line between Oxford and Oxford Parkway.

County councillor John Howson, who is also a trackside resident, said the work would spoil the day for many.

He said: "My residents have put up with a lot of noisy work from Network Rail over the last couple of years and this is the last straw."

"With little other ambient noise on Christmas Day piling work will be heard across a much wider swathe of North Oxford than on any other day in the year, spoiling this special day for many."

He added: "I respect the need for Network Rail to carry out such work, but would welcome their providing some Christmas cheer to North Oxford residents and altering their schedule to undertake the work on other days during the Christmas period."

City councillor for the St Margaret's ward, Liz Wade, said: "This stretch of railway, from Wolvercote down to the station, has been bedevilled by noise and vibration, and the wholesale removal of trees, for more than two years.

"But Network Rail's decision to pile drive for twelve hours on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day reaches a new low in their treatment of residents – both trackside and further afield."

Stuart Skyte, who lives near the track in the Waterside development, said he understood Network Rail's decision.

He said: "I'm very conscious that when railway work is done on ordinary working days it disrupts millions of commuters.

"I absolutely understand that it has to take place at weekends and holidays, I'm sure they will keep the noise to a minimum.

"From a human point of view and in terms of nuisance it's the right time instead of overnight noise for six weekends."

Network Rail spokesman, Dean Shaw, said: "The signal piling works are an essential part of our Railway Upgrade Plan.

"Careful consideration has been given to our lineside neighbours in that undertaking the works during daytime hours only on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, will be considerably less disruptive than the alternative of working six weekends of night piling through January and February."