Community consultation
We held three phases of consultation on the proposed plans:
- June 2010
- February 2011
- April and May 2011
We have taken account of all feedback and where possible incorporated it into the design of the scheme. In some cases this has not been possible and an explanation as to why has been included in our consultation report.
Through our consultations it became evident that there was support for our plans. In phase 1 around 95 per cent of consultees agreed or strongly agreed that we should be investing in the railway to improve passenger services and get more freight on the railway. A similar level of support was recorded during phase 2, while 89 per cent of respondents supported our decision to double-track the chord from the outset.
We are committed to ongoing consultation and engagement with interested parties through to completion of the scheme. We will continue to work with the local authorities and over statutory and non-statutory stakeholders to make sure the scheme can be introduced with the minimum of disruption.
Ipswich Chord application process
Our plans were accepted for examination by the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) in July 2011.
Following a Preliminary Meeting held with the IPC in Ipswich on 9 November 2011, a timetable for examination has been drafted for the various hearings that are to be held on the project:
- 10am, Tuesday 14 February 2012: time period reserved for Open Floor hearings
- 2pm, Tuesday 14 February and 10am, Wednesday 15 February 2012: Issue Specific hearings on Development Consent Order
- Tuesday 21 – Thursday 23 February 2012: time period reserved for Compulsory Acquisition hearing
More information on the process, as well as a copy of the letter from the IPC containing full details of the hearings, is available from the Infrastructure Planning Commission website.
All our application documents, including the full Environmental Statement, are available to download.
Copies of these documents can also be viewed on the IPC website and at Ipswich County Reference Library, Northgate Street, Ipswich IP1 3DE.
If you have any queries, please email F-Nconsultation@networkrail.co.uk or call the Network Rail helpline on 0845 711 4141.