Blackpool residents' roadblock protest halts noisy diggers

People living on Coopers Way were so fed-up with noise caused by diggers behind their homes they joined forces to block access to the land.

Protesters parked their cars in front of the entrance to the site, where builders for Network Rail are currently working to make improvements to the Blackpool-Preston line.

One Coopers Way resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “The level of noise is beyond comprehension. It’s so bad that our houses vibrate. Pictures fall off the walls. A neighbours’ television fell off the wall.

“Most of us are getting three or four hours sleep, if that. People are getting into trouble at work because they are turning up late and tired. The kids are like zombies going into schools on a morning.”

The road block was set up on Sunday night and remained in place on Monday after residents claimed their complaints to Blackpool Council fell on deaf ears. Diggers queued up on Coopers Way after being prevented from entering the building site. One protester said: “We’ve had kids nearly run over and cement mixers going all night. This has been going on for about two months now. Enough is enough.”

A spokesman for Network Rail said:“The depot at the rear of Coopers Way and the railway into Blackpool North are being upgraded to accommodate electric trains and nearby land is being used as a compound while the work takes place. Local people and the council are regularly engaged with and we do all we can to keep disruption to a minimum. However work of this scale means that some noise is inevitable and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.”