‘We moved to Sheffield bungalow for the quiet – now I’m being poisoned by trains’

Residents near the Hope Valley railway line in Totley have raised concerns with Sheffield City Council about diesel fumes, noise and vibration from trains stopping beside their homes. Their accounts have prompted the council to begin air pollution monitoring and seek details of Network Rail’s noise survey.

Yvonne Newey said freight trains idle for extended periods about 30 metres from her home, while Shauna Naylor described sleep disruption and health concerns for her husband, who has asthma and nocturnal epilepsy. The council says its officers recorded noise above World Health Organisation guidelines; Network Rail surveyed noise in 2025 but is taking legal advice before sharing the results.