Outrage over rail sub-station plan
RESIDENTS are angry at Network Rail’s plans to install an electric sub-station on Sandy Lane, Aughton.
The planning statement was published last December as part of the power supply upgrade on the Merseyrail Network.
As part of the project, a sub-station is required to be located alongside the railway off Sandy Lane to ensure Merseyrail’s new Class 777 trains can be introduced.
The planning statement said: “Network Rail carried out power modelling studies to assess the capability of the existing power network and identified significant interventions are required across the Merseyrail network to meet the power demands of the new fleet to serve Merseyrail’s 2020 and 2031 timetables.
“Network Rail’s power modelling study explained that the track between Aughton Park and Maghull was an area of high resistance and that a sub-station would be required.”
But many residents have opposed the proposal, sending numerous objections to the council, and signed petitions from 135 local residents so far.
Emails have also been sent to MP Rosie Cooper and local councillors.
One resident said: “Residents are very concerned about the structure being built due to the following concerns: health implications (for example, doubling the risk of childhood luekemia), noise nuisance, sensor lighting, the monstrosity being within greenbelt land reserved for animal grazing and agriculture, there will be a negative effect on wildlife and the reduction in property values to name a few.
“Residents were only alerted about this when surveyors were spotted at the site, when approached one of the men stated they were not allowed to tell residents why they were there.
“This is an act of social vandalism and industrial intrusion.”
Another said: “The word ‘sub-station’ conjures up a picture of a relatively small, discreet, brick cube.
“This proposed monstrosity/blot on the landscape will tower 3-4m high right to the edge of this arable field, which is already nearly 1m above the narrow country road it borders.
“Secondly, Network Rail only notified one neighbour of the planning proposal, but not the neighbour living in Sandy Lane who would be most affected visually.”
A Network Rail spokeswoman said: “A new substation is vital to provide the extra power needed for the arrival of new state-of-the-art Merseyrail trains on the Ormskirk line.
“Local people have been invited to a drop-in event with Network Rail, Merseytravel, Merseyrail and West Lancashire Borough Council on Wednesday, March 13, to discuss the proposals and ask any questions they may have.”
A spokesman for West Lancs Borough Council said: “On a point of clarification, the planning process regarding this application has not been suspended. No date has been set for this application to be considered by the planning committee.”