People and businesses concerned about the impact on Spalding’s roads of an increase in trains through the town have been told the maximum number per hour is likely to be six.
As we reported last week, a massive rail infrastructure upgrade is under way on the Peterborough and Doncaster line which runs through Spalding. Network Rail’s £280million GNGE project will enable an increase in the frequency and speed of trains.
It has led some readers to be concerned about a possible gridlock impact on road traffic in Spalding if level crossings were to be closed numerous times per hour.
Network Rail has this week told the Spalding Voice that the upgrade provides two additional train paths per hour in each direction.
A spokesman said: “The present timetabled capacity between Peterborough and Lincoln is usually one train per hour in each direction, which is the frequency of the East Midlands Trains passenger service.
“The upgrade provides the requisite infrastructure to facilitate two additional trains in each direction per hour, above current capacity.
“It is not up to us when (or if) this additional capacity will start to be used or what the mix will be of additional freight and additional passenger services.”
Spalding and Peterborough Rail Forum vice-president George Scott had feared that the upgrade could lead to as many as four freight trains per hour each way.
Cowbit rail enthusiast Graham Broughton contacted the Spalding Voice to dispute this and supplied a list of 22 freight journeys that could pass through the town once the upgrade is complete.
He said: “A more realistic figure is 15 to 20 freight trains maximum passing through Spalding between 0600 and 2100.”
Mr Broughton said the line has rarely been used for freight due to the track between Werrington Junction and Lincoln being in a poor state of repair and old manually worked crossings having no interlocking with signals, resulting in speed restrictions of around 50mph.
Some bridges are also inadequate for today’s heavy trains. The one spanning Vernatt’s Drain is due to be replaced shortly.
