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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Newcastle overnight Metro work compensation fight | Newcastle overnight Metro work compensation fight |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Four months of overnight noise described as "like 20 pneumatic drills" has left sleepless residents demanding compensation. | Four months of overnight noise described as "like 20 pneumatic drills" has left sleepless residents demanding compensation. |
| People living on Ilford Road in Newcastle said the noise of work on the Metro rail line made sleep impossible. | People living on Ilford Road in Newcastle said the noise of work on the Metro rail line made sleep impossible. |
| It took place from 01:30 to 04:30 BST, seven days a week from April to July. | It took place from 01:30 to 04:30 BST, seven days a week from April to July. |
| Metro operator Nexus said it did everything it could to "reduce the impact and address concerns as soon as they were raised". | Metro operator Nexus said it did everything it could to "reduce the impact and address concerns as soon as they were raised". |
| But resident Carole Howlett said there were "men shouting, floodlights and these great big huge piling machines called augers, piling 15ft into the ground". | But resident Carole Howlett said there were "men shouting, floodlights and these great big huge piling machines called augers, piling 15ft into the ground". |
| "The whole house was shaking," she said. | "The whole house was shaking," she said. |
| "All the neighbours complained, bitterly, and they just kept fobbing us off." | "All the neighbours complained, bitterly, and they just kept fobbing us off." |
| Nexus corporate manager for communications Huw Lewis said the "vital" work could only be done at night to avoid disrupting the 40,000 passengers who use the line each day. | |
| Weekend working would have cost "substantially" more and required continual day and night working during each line closure, he said. | Weekend working would have cost "substantially" more and required continual day and night working during each line closure, he said. |
| "We appreciate that the work did cause disturbance and inconvenience to residents," he accepted. | "We appreciate that the work did cause disturbance and inconvenience to residents," he accepted. |
| Acoustic screening boards were installed but residents said they had little effect. | Acoustic screening boards were installed but residents said they had little effect. |
| Newcastle City Council said Nexus was legally exempt from normal noise controls, provided they behaved reasonably and noise nuisance was minimised by the "best practicable means". | Newcastle City Council said Nexus was legally exempt from normal noise controls, provided they behaved reasonably and noise nuisance was minimised by the "best practicable means". |
| Since the work finished residents have reported "tremendous" vibration in their homes. | Since the work finished residents have reported "tremendous" vibration in their homes. |
| "It vibrates right through to the back of the house," Mrs Howlett said. | "It vibrates right through to the back of the house," Mrs Howlett said. |
| "The radiators vibrate, the windows vibrate. | "The radiators vibrate, the windows vibrate. |
| "We're very concerned that this is going to damage our properties." | "We're very concerned that this is going to damage our properties." |
| Nexus said it had been unable to indentify anything which would cause "undue noise or vibration." | Nexus said it had been unable to indentify anything which would cause "undue noise or vibration." |
| As a public body funded by the taxpayer it could only consider compensation where there was a legal requirement to do so, it said. | As a public body funded by the taxpayer it could only consider compensation where there was a legal requirement to do so, it said. |
| Nexus has sent emails apologising but "nothing" had been done about their complaints, Mrs Howlett said. | Nexus has sent emails apologising but "nothing" had been done about their complaints, Mrs Howlett said. |
| "It's driven me absolutely crazy," she said. | "It's driven me absolutely crazy," she said. |