Brigg residents angry about train noise at night

AN INCREASE in the number of freight trains passing through the town is giving residents sleepless nights, locals say.

Jim Smith, of Burgess Road, Brigg, said trains left the ornaments in his house shaking and urged town councillors to look in to the problem.

He said trains passed through at all times of night and with more money being spent on the rail network in the town, he believed problems were set to get worse.

"Over the past year, the detrimental impact on my home and my neighbours' homes has grown," he said.

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"I am convinced that measures need to be taken to slow down the speed of the freight traffic as it passes through residential areas. A combination of speed and pulling more carriages has made it worse."

Mr Smith said a lot of work had gone in to attracting more freight traffic to the town, but this should not be done to the detriment of residents.

"You can witness the ornaments jumping off the mantelpiece as the traffic goes past," he said.

"It would not be as bad if the traffic had to slow as it passed through a residential area.

"It is beginning to have an impact and I am worried that the structure is going to be affected if nothing is done."

For many years, the town council has campaigned for more passenger trains to visit Brigg, with only three trains a week passing through the station on a Saturday.

Town councillor Mike Campion stressed the issue should be tackled, but said he did not want this to impact on the council's stance on attracting more passenger trains.

He said: "No-one wants the railway to get the idea we don't want the service as we have long campaigned to keep it alive and bring back passenger trains.

"We don't want people to have houses that are damaged or sleepless nights, but need to set a compromise with both sides. "It is beginning to show signs that it is more used, with millions of pounds being spent."

Town mayor Carl Sherwood said the town council should ask Network Rail to supply information on the movement of trains during the night.

Councillor Sherwood said: "Mr Smith makes clear he does not have a problem during the day. We should find out any information of what they do after 6pm until 6am to see if they have different ways of working. We should definitely look in to it."

Rob Waltham, ward councillor, said Brigg and Goole MP Andrew Percy had been made aware of the issue by residents. A meeting has been arranged with Network Rail for the new year.

Nobody from Network Rail was available for comment.