Cllr Kieran Quinn and David Heyes MP along with local residents affected by the Whistle Board
In September last year Network Rail installed boards instructing train drivers to sound their whistle as they approached the Littlemoss level crossing. We first became aware of the whistle board problem when Littlemoss residents contacted both of us separately to say that every train, from early in the morning until late at night, was sounding a very loud whistle and that the noise was making their lives a misery.
Despite several letters from each of us as Council Leader and Member of Parliament Network Rail proved very difficult to pin down. Requests for Network Rail to meet and discuss the problem seemed to meet with delaying tactics. We decided that we needed to join forces to tackle Network Rail on behalf of the residents and we demanded a meeting with Network Rail bosses.
At the meeting Network Rail told us that they had installed the whistle boards because they had concerns about pedestrian safety at the level crossing. During the meeting Network Rail gave vague answers when they were asked about the investigations that had led to the whistleboards being installed. They could not give any evidence of any risk assessments or of any serious consideration of alternative solutions. We advised Network Rail that if the whistles continued the Council would use its powers to take them to court for Noise Nuisance.
At the end of the meeting we insisted that Network Rail go away and consider alternative options. A meeting was set for 11 February 2011 for Network Rail to come back with some answers. In the meantime, to keep the pressure on, a letter went from the Member of Parliament to the Chief Executive of Network Rail with a Freedom of information Request for all internal paperwork on the issue. This week, before that second meeting could take place, Network Rail contacted us to say that they would impose speed restrictions instead and that the whistles would stop in three weeks time. RESULT!!!
By working together with residents and refusing to be fobbed off we have at last been able to force Network Rail to see sense. This has taken longer than we would have liked to reach a successful conclusion and we would like to thank you all for your patience and for continuing to trust us to do our best for our constituents. We hope that you are as pleased as we are that our joint efforts have delivered the desired outcome.
Cllr Kieran Quinn - Droylsden East Councillor
David Heyes - Member of Parliament