8.5 North Bedford
8.5.9. For the Five Track and Six Track options the following ‘reasonable worst-case’
railway corridor width has been taken as the starting point for design:
• 5.5m separation (rail to rail) between the tracks used by EWR and the tracks
not used by EWR, to ensure a safe space for railway staff to walk without
disruption to train services and to ensure that trains are sufficiently clear of
any structures, where retained or added, to support the overhead electric
lines;
• 2m separation (rail to rail) between each track used by EWR to ensure EWR
trains pass each other safely;
• 5m between the permanent boundary and the nearest rail to ensure sufficient
space for staff to walk and work safely, for drainage to prevent flooding,
for equipment cabinets to be safely positioned and for structures, where
required, to support the overhead electric lines; and
• 4m between the permanent boundary and a temporary boundary to ensure
sufficient space for construction activities and any works necessary to ensure
that adjacent properties are not undermined.
8.5.10. It may be possible to reduce the corridor width once more detailed surveys
and design are undertaken. Therefore, the areas and number of properties
affected by each option are only indicative at this stage.