Road traffic management ‘key to Spalding’ during rail work upgrade

Mill Green at Woolram Wygate will be one of four level crossings in Spalding receiving an upgrade including CCTV monitoring by a Lincoln operations room. Photo: VNG270514-13

Spalding Town Forum says good traffic management will be key to keeping road transport moving around the town during the huge rail upgrade this year.

Network Rail’s £280million Great Northern Great Eastern project to improve the Peterborough to Doncaster line through Lincoln will mean two long periods of work in Spalding, expected to cause severe disruption on the roads.
The result will be the potential for four extra trains per hour through Spalding. The present timetabled capacity is one per hour in each direction.
A Network Rail delegation updated members of the forum at its meeting last Wednesday.

Coun George Aley, chairman of Spalding Town Forum

Speaking later, chairman Coun George Aley said: “Concerns were raised about splitting the town in two, how the emergency vehicles will get through and whether they are being kept up to date.
“And when the work is complete we’re also concerned not just about the downtime of level crossings barriers but the “clear up” time for the build-up of traffic to disperse.
“We wanted to know what sort of plans they have with Highways.”

Coun Aley said the Network Rail delegation gave assurances as best it could but a Highways representative will be invited to address the forum in the near future.

After the upgrade, trains will be able to travel up to 70mph on the line. The four main level crossings in Spalding – Hawthorn Bank, Winsover Road, Park Road and Mill Green (Woolram Wygate) – will be covered by CCTV, monitored by an operation room in Lincoln. As trains pass, barriers will shut later and open sooner than at present.
More freight will be put on the line to ease pressure on the East Coast Main Line.

Referring to the as yet unknown degree of increase, Coun Aley said: “The thing is they (Network Rail) are only responsible for updating the line, not putting the freight on.”

One phase of the upgrade work covers the area of the line from Park Road level crossing up to Sleaford South Junction. It is due for commissioning from 8pm on Friday, July 25, through to 6am on Monday, August 11.
A further phase includes upgrade of level crossings from Deeping St James to Spalding railway station. This work is scheduled for October 24 to November 3.
Spalding Town Forum comprises 12 district councillors plus representatives of police, business and other community stakeholders.

•  Winsover Road level crossing is closed from 10pm on Sunday until 6am on Monday.