Network Rail works in Salisbury causing 'chaos and destruction'

David Lovibond, from the Milford Preservation Group, says the scale of the work is "frankly extraordinary", and that the work "can continue through the night and involves a huge compound lit up like a fun fair."

Network Rail has said the work is needed to repair the railway embankment damaged by heavy rain.

Due to the weight of the machinery required, an access road is having to be built across the meadow between Milford Mill Road and the railway.

David added: "This road has already meant the removal of a section of boardwalk only recently, and expensively, installed by Laverstock and Ford Council.

"More harrowing is the damage being caused to the archaeology in the meadow field crossed by the road.

"Close to an early Anglo-Saxon cemetery, the field has recorded finds of Saxon pottery and is the site of a Deserted Medieval Village (DMV).

"Careless of the sensitivity of the site, the building of the road has meant the removal of at least six inches of topsoil along its route."

Rachel Foster, Assistant County Archaeologist. said: "The County Archaeology Service does not have the resources to mount a ‘watching brief’ at the site. ‘If it is clear that archaeological remains are being damaged by authorised works then there may not be much we can do."

Ian Mclennan, Wiltshire Councillor for Laverstock and Ford, said: "The railway have authority to do whatever they need. All public utilities are able to access.

"However, they should restore everything they have damaged or disrupted. I dismay at their callous treatment of our Grade I listed Mediaeval Bridge. That is unacceptable.’

Network Rail has not sought the permission of the local community because it did not need to. It has damaged or destroyed irreplaceable archaeology because it could.

"It allows lorries far heavier than the law permits to grind over a bridge which has the same listing as Salisbury Cathedral.

"Network Rail does these things because, it seems, it is not accountable to anyone."

Mark Killick, Route Director for Network Rail Wessex, said: "We apologise to residents living close to the landslip that has closed the rail line between Salisbury and Romsey since 18 February.  

"The repair work is incredibly challenging and involves building an access road through a flooded field and the installation of up to 250 metres of 13 metre deep steel sheets into the embankment to prevent future landslips.  We are working 24/7 to ensure we can reopen the railway for passengers and freight customers by the end of March as promised, but this does mean that some of our work takes place at night.

"We try to keep noise levels to a minimum, but unfortunately, the use of heavy machinery and piling is critical to the delivery of the project.

"We know this has disrupted our line-side neighbours and, again, we are sorry for this. The repair is now being delivered from the bottom of the embankment where the need to ‘hammer’ piles is greatly reduced and, when required, hammering will be completed during waking hours.

"Once the railway is reopened teams will stay on site to deliver the remaining repair works and we will advise residents when further work at night is required."