Overnight work on Northumberland Line causes Ashington residents sleepless nights

One angry local man said he had had to miss work, he was so tired. And although construction has now stopped, engineers are expected to return overnight in March, much to the dismay of those living nearby.

Communication with local residents has also been criticised, with some saying they have waited weeks to hear back after complaining.

Northumberland County Council and Network Rail said the night shift work was necessary to keep workers safe – as no trains are running – and apologised for the disruption.

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, said he understood the work had to be done but questioned why it had to be between 10pm and 5am.

He said: “Nobody is against the railway line, everyone is for it, but Network Rail has deemed it appropriate to do night shift work. They’ve basically said tough, they’re going to continue making the noise.

“They won’t even consider doing it through the day. I’ve had two weeks of no sleep, I’ve had to take two days off work because I’ve had no sleep.

“The work goes on from 10.30 at night until five in the morning. Literally at one point, it was only 15 or 20 metres from my house. By work time you’re exhausted.”

He added he had been offered a hotel by Network Rail, but could not take it due to his personal circumstances.

Coun Caroline Ball, who represents the Ashington Central ward on Northumberland County Council, lives some distance from the railway but could still hear the disruption.

She said: “I could hear the noise from my house so I jumped in my car and went down. You can see why people were complaining, the noise has been absolutely horrific.

“With all the heavy fog, the big machines and the noise, it was like a scene from Transformers. I’ve had a lot of complaints, mainly about the noise.

“It is stopping now until the end of March, but we’ve been told it’s going to be even worse then.

“My main problem is the lack of communication. Everybody is so supportive of the railway line, but it comes down to the communication between the powers that be and the residents.

In a joint statement, Northumberland County Council and Network Rail said the night work was necessary to protect workers.

A spokeswoman said: “Works have been planned around track access and essential safety works must be undertaken during the night, when there are no trains running. This is crucial to ensure the safety of our workers.

“Northumberland County Council wrote to residents, and along with partner organisations, visited properties in the area to advise of the planned works. A drop-in event was also held on 13 December in Wansbeck Square, giving residents the chance to ask questions and discuss the latest and upcoming works.

“Contractors are doing their best to keep noise to a minimum and we sincerely apologise for any disruptions caused to those living near the railway. More overnight work will need to be carried out at a later date, but residents will be informed prior to this work being carried out.”