Railway improvement work – Chilworth and Tangley level crossing – North Downs Line Upgrade

From Sunday 14 to Saturday 27 September 2025, Network Rail engineers will be upgrading the level crossings at Chilworth (Sampleoak Lane, Chilworth, Guildford GU4 8QN) and Tangley (A248, Chilworth, Guildford GU4 8NE), as part of the North Downs Line re-signalling project.

These crossings are currently outdated and are being replaced to maintain a reliable and safe railway for passengers and road users. The upgrades will increase operational resilience by installing modern equipment that allows remote monitoring. The new systems will also be easier to maintain and feature CCTV systems monitored by a signaller, who will lower the barriers when safe to do so.

The changes at each level crossing are as follows:

Level Crossing	Changes
Tangley (A248, Chilworth, Guildford GU4 8NE)	New full-barrier design extending across the entire road. Barrier down time increased by an average of two minutes per activation. Yodel alarm maintained; volume temporarily increased to 80dB after installation.
Chilworth (Sampleoak Lane, Chilworth, Guildford GU4 8QN)	No change to crossing design. No change to barrier down time. Bell alarm system upgraded to yodel alarm; volume temporarily increased to 80dB.

Both crossings’ alarms will be temporarily set to 80dB to comply with Network Rail and Rail Safety and Standards Board standards. This increase is a short-term measure while the alarms are reviewed by the local level crossing team.

Tangley will become a full-barrier crossing that blocks the entire road when a train approaches. The signaller will check CCTV, sound the alarm, then lower the barriers after a brief delay, allowing vehicles and pedestrians time to clear. This safer system requires additional barrier down time—an average of two minutes more per closure—to ensure nobody is caught between the barriers.

A community drop-in session will take place from 18:00 to 20:00 on Monday 18 August 2025 at Chilworth Village Hall (New Road, Chilworth, Guildford GU4 8LZ). Project team members will be available to answer questions about the works and the planned changes.

Further information about the closures and diversion routes will be provided closer to the start of the works. Local residents have been sent letters detailing the improvements, and this notice is being shared for wider awareness.

Level Crossing Closure Schedule

Level Crossing	Start Date/Time	End Date/Time	Traffic Management
Brook	Sunday 14/09/2025 (00:01)	Sunday 28/09/2025 (06:00)	Full Closure
Burrows	Sunday 14/09/2025 (00:01)	Sunday 28/09/2025 (06:00)	Full Closure
Chilworth	Sunday 14/09/2025 (00:01)	Sunday 28/09/2025 (06:00)	Full Closure
Tangley	Saturday 13/09/2025 (23:00)	Monday 15/09/2025 (06:00)	Full Closure
Tangley	Monday 15/09/2025 (06:01)	Thursday 25/09/2025 (21:59)	Full Closure overnight (22:00–06:00); Half Closure during the day (06:01–21:59)