Waiting times at level crossings in Oakham expected to rise
Officials say the increase won't be as high as initially thought though
Waiting times at level crossings are expected to rise in Oakham, but not by as much as has been suggested.
According to Network Rail, residents could be waiting for 30 minutes in the hour at the barriers by the end of its current control period in 2029, as rail freight through the town is expected to increase.
While admitting the likelihood of longer waiting times, Network Rail rebutted claims that residents in Oakham would have to wait for 40 minutes in the future – a figure used by Rutland County Council to deny planning permission for a 140-house estate off Brooke Road in Oakham.
According to the application’s refusal letter, the estate would likely cause “significant traffic delays due to the proximity of a level crossing to the north of the application site, that is expected to be closed for up to 40 minutes in the hour in the future due to increased rail freight traffic”.
A spokesperson for the council said the 40-minute figure was taken from a response to the proposals by Oakham South Action Group – a community group dedicated to preventing development on the estate’s proposed site – in which expected rises to 40 minutes by 2041 and 45 minutes by 2051 were claimed.
However, a Network Rail spokesperson told the LDRS the figures “did not come from us”.
They added: “As rail freight grows, there will be some increase in the amount of time the barriers are closed in Oakham.
“We do not expect waiting times to reach the 40 minutes per hour that has been reported. Based on current forecasts, we would expect closure times to remain below this level.”
The estate applicant’s own transport assessment included a waiting time estimate of 36 minutes in the hour by 2043, based on survey data and forecasts of rail traffic increases.
The council’s planning permission refusal was successfully appealed by the applicant last year. People can comment on the updated application, which is now for 135 homes and has the reference 2026/1004/MAR on Rutland County Council’s website.