Major Work To Start Ahead Of Rail Electrification

Major work will begin next week to prepare for the electrification of the railway between Market Harborough and Kettering.

Trees, shrubs and plants close to the tracks are to be removed, ahead of the installation of cables and gantries.

The vegetation, within six and half metres of the railway, will be cleared on sections of the route from Market Harborough railway station, through Little Bowden, towards Desborough and onto Kettering.

Network Rail say measures will be in place to protect wildlife and the environment, following Ecological surveys.

The clearance work will take place during the day and overnight and continue until mid-April,

Once the line is electrified, part of the £1.5 billion Midland Main Line Upgrade, more environmentally-friendly trains will be able to run on the section of track.

Electric wires will eventually be installed
Pic: Network Rail

Network Rail say trees which are too close to the railway could fall onto the overhead wires, causing damage to the equipment and disruption to services, and if not cut back, trees can also cover up signals, block visibility for train drivers or fall onto the track.

Gavin Crook, Principal Programme Sponsor for Network Rail, said: “We need to remove the trees which are close to the railway between Market Harborough and Kettering so the line can be electrified, allowing faster, more reliable services to run safely.

“We understand how important the trees are for people in the community and we have measures in place to protect the environment. The work is vital for the safety of our workers and passengers as we make progress on the biggest investment in the Midland Main Line since the Victorian times.”

People who live near the railway have been sent letters with details about the work.