VIBRATIONS and noise levels should stay within acceptable limits on a new rail route, transport bosses have predicted.

It comes after more than 600 people signed a petition against the Wolvercote section of the East West Rail (EWR) scheme, which was presented to Oxford City Council leader Bob Price at Oxford Town Hall this week.

Those who signed the petition include hundreds of North Oxford residents who fear “a massive expansion of freight traffic” will lead to unacceptable levels of noise and vibration.

They demanded that more be done to mitigate potential noise and vibrations and also called for speed limits to be introduced on stretches of the track.

But on Thursday night council officers said expert analysis shows vibration levels would not exceed acceptable limits.

And noise levels were determined to be unlikely to exceed acceptable levels except in a “reasonable worst case”.

Council officer Fiona Bartholomew said: “Our assessments show vibration levels would be likely to be close to but not exceed the limits. On noise it is something similar.

“But noise schemes on assessment show worst case usage noise would exceed limits.”

Officers also said the council was unable to impose a speed limit on the trains, although it would continue to press Network Rail for a voluntary speed limit.

Transport experts set out the details at a public briefing at the Town Hall to inform members of Oxford City Council’s west area planning committee about a number of elements of the scheme.

The committee is due to decide on June 16 whether to approve the Wolvercote section of the East West link.

Residents argue the scheme has expanded far beyond the original Chiltern Railways Evergreen 3 proposal, creating a new service between Oxford and London Marylebone on an upgraded Oxford to Bicester line.

Keith Dancey, one of the campaigners who presented the petition, said: “Considering the petition has only been going a week we have been pleasantly surprised by the level of support.

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The petition warned: “Once EWR is approved, the council will have no power to force Network Rail to rectify problems.”

It claimed noise and vibration mitigation measures are inadequate and calls for effective noise barriers and a 30mph speed limit through residential areas.

Network Rail spokeswoman Victoria Bradley said: “We continue to work closely with the council on noise and vibration mitigation as part of the East West Rail scheme.”