PEOPLE who are being kept awake by rail line maintenance say contract workers are not sticking to an agreed code of practice on noise.

Jarvis Rail has just completed major work on the line, which is only yards from houses in Railway Terrace, Eaglescliffe, near Stockton.

But, residents say the noise from heavy machinery and workmen over the past two months has been a nightmare.

Jarvis workers have agreed to adhere to an environmental policy that says they must minimise noise.

But, after another weekend of disruption, residents said ed that Jarvis workers were not keeping their side of the bargain.

Company bosses, who recently visited the site to reassure residents, say some disruption was inevitable, but insisted workers have kept sound to a minimum.

But resident Jane Orton said that an incident on Saturday proved Jarvis had let the neighbourhood down.

She said: "They have not kept to their promise and have not abided to their own code of conduct.

"They have to keep noise to a minimum near hospitals, schools and residential areas.

"We clearly live in a residential area, but the disruption continues.

"On Saturday, I was woken at 5.45am by huge machinery and a neighbour of mine says she was woken at 2am by the sound of workmen laughing and joking. She said it sounded like a party was going on.

"We had a recent visit by Jarvis representatives, who said some noise was inevitable, but they would try to minimise it. We feel we have been fobbed off.

"Before last weekend's noise, we received less than 36 hours' notice, which is nowhere near enough to make alternative arrangements."

A company spokesman said work to improve nearby points, tracks and a bridge was over, but standard maintenance work would continue.

He said: "There is little more we can say. Our workers adhere to a code which states they should minimise noise.

"Inevitably, there is noise because we have been using heavy machinery and unfortunately, weekends and evenings are the only time we can carry out the work."