No decision on Sutton railway station frustrates local campaigner

The A47 dualling project would see the station saved but moved outside the parish.
Residents of Sutton Village are hoping to save the former Sutton railway station.Residents of Sutton Village are hoping to save the former Sutton railway station.
Residents of Sutton Village are hoping to save the former Sutton railway station.

Its nearly two months since people from all over Peterborough gathered at Sutton on the A47 for a summer solstice walk hoping to save the remains of Sutton Railway station.

Since then, and despite hopes of a quick decision, campaigners claim there have been no meetings and no communication of any kind in an attempt to save this heritage site since.

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Now, campaigner and local farmer Robbie Reid, who had offered part of his own land next to the A47 as a possible relocation site for the station, has spoken out.

The residents met in June this year during the summer solstice to march and save their Sutton railway station (images: David Lowndes)The residents met in June this year during the summer solstice to march and save their Sutton railway station (images: David Lowndes)
The residents met in June this year during the summer solstice to march and save their Sutton railway station (images: David Lowndes)

Angered at the lack of progress, Mr Reid said: “We raised awareness of the importance of these Victorian buildings and local people have shown their support for keeping the former Sutton Railway Station in the parish of Sutton.

“But now, nearly two months on and we’re getting radio silence from everybody concerned which is incredibly frustrating as the date for the start of the works to move the route of the A47 is getting closer and close and we need to do something – fast.

“If the people at Highways England, Heritage England, Nene Valley Railway or Peterborough City Council think I will go away, then they’ve misunderstood my resolve.

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“I will continue to hassle them until we get a decision of some kind because these are important buildings and now that we’ve brought them to the attention of the public in Peterborough, they want to know what’s happening to them.”

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The summer solstice event protest walk attracted over 40 villagers and was organised by Sutton villager and local eco-warrior Robbie Reid who farms land adjacent to the A47 next to the location of the former railway station.

The railway station and associated buildings have to be moved brick by brick to a new location because they are in the way of the A47 dualling project.

While Nene Valley Railway have said they would like the station to be moved to a site seven miles away at Peterborough’s visitor attraction, Railworld Wildlife Haven, the villagers of Sutton believe the buildings should be relocated to a site within their parish boundary.

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Mr Reid, who farms land to the south of the A47 has said he will allow the buildings to be moved 200m on to his property where it can be reassembled and looked after as part of a trust for the village.

Heritage England, Nene Valley Railway and Peterborough City Council have been approached for comment.

Editor's note: Our usual practice is to ensure authorities are given an acceptable amount of time to respond. However, on this occasion, the Highways Agency was not given adequate time to respond.

By the Local Democracy Reporting Service.