ANGRY York residents have got together to fight plans for an all-night train washing depot on their doorstep.

The group of residents from St James Court and Victoria Court, near Leeman Road, are opposing plans to build the train care centre, which will operate between 8pm and 5am seven days a week, yards from their homes.

As reported in last week's Evening Press, Siemens Transportation Systems has put forward proposals to build the centre with works, access and car park on railway sidings at the former York Depot Refuelling Facility off Leeman Road.

The depot will help the company care for and refuel First Group's existing and new £250 million train fleet, creating up to 40 new jobs. Civil engineer Elaine Shrewsbury, 33, who lives int St James Court, said the depot would be about ten metres from her home and the noise of the trains clanking in and out at all hours would mean residents would not be able to leave their windows open in the summer.

"Obviously it's going to affect house prices, there are quite a lot of rented properties round here - I'd say a third of the houses in my street are rented and people will just up and leave. We are going to be left with a ghost town," said Miss Shrewsbury.

Gareth Maunder, 33, who lives in Victoria Court with his wife, Lisa, 31, said: "I'm very angry about the whole thing - I can't believe anyone would think that this is a good site for a business in the middle of a residential area."

Mr Maunder said the number of jobs that would be created was small in comparison with the number of householders who would be kept awake by the noise.

Objectors have until November 25 to send written objections to the council.

Deborah Risby, head of communications for Siemens, said: "We have a number of train care facilities around the country and we are extremely conscious and want to be good neighbours.

"We have been working closely with the economic development team at City of York Council on this project and will continue to do so."

A City of York Council spokeswoman said the application had been submitted and said it was expected to be seen by councillors soon.

Updated: 10:29 Monday, November 15, 2004