Reading rail depot building 'will treat train toilet waste'

Residents previously complained noise from Reading Train Care Depot has "blighted" their lives

People fear they will endure the smell of sewage from a rail depot extraction plant "100 yards" from their homes.

Residents in Cardiff Road, Reading, claim a new building on the site will extract sewage from train toilets.

Reading Borough Council has queried whether Network Rail, which has not commented on the building's use, had permission to construct it.

Rail bosses, issued with a noise abatement notice on the site, say the building is within "permitted rights".

Great Western Railway (GWR) and Network Rail directors face prosecution if they fail to comply with the legal noise abatement notice, issued last week, within six months.

Jonathan Dart, chairman of the Bell Tower Community Association, said residents found out about the sewage extraction use after the noise complaints were made.

'Caught by surprise'

When asked what the latest concerns of neighbours were, Mr Dart added: "It's going to be smell and noise.

"We are not sure actually once they have treated this waste, how they are going to get it out."

Deputy council leader Tony Page said the local authority was "caught some what by surprise" by the effluent treatment development.

Great Western Railway bosses said buildings on railway land fell under "permitted development rights".

A Network Rail spokesperson added the train operator was "not in a position to comment" while it considered its "legal options" over the effluent extraction plant.

GWR previously said new electric trains being introduced will reduce noise levels.