Residents scared for their health as freight trains idle in front of their gardens

Yvonne Newey, who lives on Five Trees Avenue, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that Network Rail had built the Dore South Curve just around the corner from her home, resulting in noise and vibration as “very large freight trains” now stop there.

She said: “They idle for – it’s getting better, it used to be an hour – about 20 minutes which doesn’t sound very much but if you look at the data on pollution from freight trains in a tunnel like this it’s a bit scary.”

Mrs Newey said the council, the MP, and others all accept that railways can make as much noise as they like.

“I dispute that,” she added.

She said she supports upgrading the line between Sheffield and Manchester but added: “When you dig down you find that neither Manchester nor Sheffield wanted it because they don’t have capacity to cope with extra trains.”

The couple began noticing the “ill effects” of the upgrade around 2021, when work began on their end of the Hope Valley Railway Upgrade.

“The misery started about four or five years ago,” she added.

However, the specific issue of a train stopping just yards from their garden only started around 18 months ago.

Mrs Newey and her husband bought the house in 2017 and said nobody mentioned anything about future plans—especially not trains stopping there.

She said there had been two sets of public consultation before the work began but “there was no mention at all of a signal box.”

She added: “When you think about it, when they built the Dore Curve, so they’re coming around this way, the trains got to stop somewhere.

“But we had no idea they would stop right outside here.”

Mrs Newey said she has concerns about constant exposure to high noise levels, which has led to disturbed sleep.

She worries these issues could escalate, potentially causing cardiovascular problems, increased stress and anxiety, and other mental health issues.

She also noted that while air quality monitoring takes place at train stations, freight trains don’t stop at those.

They stop just outside her house.

She said they could adapt if they had a schedule—but they don’t.

“They are here at night, they are here during the day. We can’t say to people ‘would you like to come around this afternoon sitting in the garden’. We can’t do that because we don’t know…

“Trains could be there all afternoon or not at all.”

On top of that, Mrs Newey said they can’t even keep their windows open during the summer heat.

“It’s just so frustrating,” she added.

She said ordinary citizens feel they are not being listened to.

Sometimes she feels alone, but having worked in a law centre, she’s confident navigating official documents—something not everyone is able to do.

“I will never give up, I feel absolutely incensed by the bullying,” she said.

The LDRS approached Network Rail for a comment.

A company spokesperson said: “The Transport and Works Act order allowing the alterations to the railway at this location was approved following the usual processes, including consultation and noise assessment.

“However, a subsequent change in noise experienced at a small number of properties near the railway line has been noted.

“We placed noise monitoring equipment at the location two weeks ago and will explore appropriate action once we receive the report.”

A spokesperson for Sheffield City Council also confirmed to the LDRS that its Environmental Protection Team received a complaint last summer regarding noise from idling freight trains.

As a result, the council contacted Network Rail and asked them to carry out a noise survey earlier this year.

They added: “Specific to the Five Trees situation, there is currently an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) declared for NO2 levels which encompasses Five Trees, though data indicated the primary cause of elevated levels within the AQMA boundary were because of road transport.

“The latest improvement plan was adopted in 2022, the Clean Air Plan, and continued to target road transport emissions. If monitoring were to determine an exceedance here, and that freight emissions were the issue at this location, the authority would develop plans in partnership with stakeholders to tackle the issue.

“Notwithstanding the above, due to observations made at the train station previously and as part of the Clean Air Plan monitoring, the council has been, and continues to work with rail operators and the government on possible solutions, specifically the viability of altering trains to lower emitting power solutions such as hybrid or, preferably, consideration for the electrification of the line.”