Call for action on claims of trackside noise and disruption for tenants on Ebury Bridge estate in Pimlico
Published: 26 February 2010
by JAMIE WELHAM and CHARLOTTE SUNDBERG
DOCTORS in Pimlico are becoming familiar with the symptoms: bloodshot eyes, reports of tinnitus, wailing babies in the waiting room.
The cause of this highly localised epidemic of insomnia, centred on Ebury Bridge estate, is an apparent increase in train noise from the mesh of tracks into Victoria station.
The high-pitched screeching sound has become so unbearable it is affecting the quality of life, say residents. They are calling on Network Rail – the firm responsible for the management of the tracks – to muffle the sound.
Their problems have been compounded, they say, by maintenance work on the estate in Ebury Bridge Road three years ago, in which they claim windows replaced with insufficient insulation.
One resident Wayne Kelly said: “From midnight onwards, that’s when they’re working there. I really have difficulty sleeping, especially when you’re on early shifts. The main problem we get is the maintenance work. It can go on until early morning. We’ve always had double-glazing because we are on the ground floor but on top they haven’t and it’s a real problem.”
Another, William Butler, said: “I’m quite good with most noises like traffic, music or neighbours talking but the screeching that the trains make is absolutely unbearable.
“I think anyone living around this noise would find it hard to deal with. It is a real problem, causing stress, anxiety and sleeplessness and we need something done about it.”
While the last passenger train leaves the station around midnight, Network Rail says it does carry out maintenance on the tracks at night.
A spokesman said: “By its sheer nature, the day-to-day running of the railway can produce noise. Whether this comes from the trains themselves, track alarms, level crossings or rail improvement works, some noise is unavoidable. It’s a bit like living under the flight path for Heathrow airport. If we know of a particular issue, we can look into doing something about it, like putting lubricant on the tracks. ”
Naomi Smith, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Cities of Westminster and London has taken up the residents’ plight. She said: “I can’t begin to describe the horror stories people have told me of lives made miserable by constant noise and disruption, not just from trains but from engineering works outside their windows at all hours of the night. This is clearly something that the powers that be must be made to address as soon as possible.
“As some people have already pointed out, summer is coming and that can be unbearable if you cannot do the simplest thing like open your windows.”
Repair work was carried out on the estate in 2006 with windows in three blocks replaced.
CityWest Homes, the arms-length management organisation responsible for council housing in Westminster, said it carried out soundproofing tests on the windows at the time and they were deemed to be suitable. Spokeswoman for CityWest Homes Lorna Whitehall said: “We did install double glazing and they carried out a soundproof test when they installed them.”