Residents of Bredicot will soon be able to sleep soundly again as their MP, Peter Luff and Councillor Rob Adams have secured from Network Rail the promise of the removal of the recently installed southbound whistle board at the Bredicot footpath crossing.
Commenting, Peter said,
“Life has been hell for the residents as approaching southbound trains began to sound their whistle for the very first time in the summer of 2011. Since the installation of a new whistle board last year, the sound of horns from trains heading towards Cheltenham and Bristol has been disturbing the Bredicot population day and night, transforming this quiet rural hamlet into an unacceptably noisy place to live.”
In a letter to Peter Luff from Robin Basau, Community Relations Manager for Network Rail’s Western and Wales Routes, the company has now undertaken to remove the southbound whistle board at the Bredicot footpath crossing.
Noise nuisance, sufficient signage at the crossing and the good sighting from the crossing for south bound trains have been cited as reasons for the decision to remove the whistle board.
Commenting on the result Peter said:
“I am delighted with this outcome. Councillor Rob Adams has done a brilliant job highlighting this issue and I am pleased that our efforts have succeeded. But it took a lot of persuasion. Initially the company just didn’t accept that that there was excellent visibility on this rarely use crossing for trains from the north. We had to badger the company to understand the reality of the situation.
“ It’s perfectly fair to retain the north bound whistle board as the visibility is restricted by a curve for trains from the south, but the removal of the southbound whistle board is entirely safe and will make a huge difference to local residents.”