The Parish Clerk has received the following letter from Network Rail Southern Region
OFFICIAL
Hello,
As you may be aware, there is upcoming railway engineering work that will mean the closure of the Faversham – Dover Priory via Canterbury East line from Saturday 11 February to Saturday 18 February. Southeastern customers are being asked to plan ahead and leave more time to complete their journeys, as buses will replace trains during the project.
During this time Network Rail will be undertaking a £3 million project to stabilise cuttings and embankments at six sites along the line. This is part of the wider £1.25 billion South East Upgrade, which is improving the railway across East Sussex, Kent and South London. The work on this line will protect the railway from the risk of landslips, meaning better performance, more reliable journeys, and an improved customer experience for passengers.
One of the biggest pieces of work will be the installation of a 30-metre reinforced concrete wall at the bottom of the railway cutting at Selling tunnel; this is one of the most at-risk sites for landslips, and so this reinforced wall will help to keep the railway safe. We will also be working at Aylesham, Snowdown, Shepherds Well and Bekesbourne to protect the railway against the risk of landslips. As well as moving thousands of tonnes of earth to reduce the steepness of cutting slopes at these sites, we will also be installing rock netting, upgrading drainage systems and improving the track with new rail, sleepers and ballast for smoother journeys. We are also taking the opportunity posed by an 8-day line closure to deep-clean and repaint the stations along the line so customers can look forward to refreshed station facilities.
Further information on the work is available on our website Faversham to Dover Priory improvement project – Network Rail and further information on timetable alterations and rail replacement buses is available the Southeastern website Engineering work | Southeastern (southeasternrailway.co.uk).
I would also like to take the opportunity to introduce myself as the new Senior Public Affairs Manager for Network Rail, covering Kent and Sussex. I look forward to working with you and if you have any questions about this project or the railway in your area more generally, please do get in touch with me directly.
Yours sincerely,
William AJG Knighton
Senior Public Affairs Manager
Network Rail Southern Region
1 Puddle Dock, London, EC4V 3DS