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Friday 20 Nov 2015

Temporary footbridge opens for Newport residents as Network Rail carries out electrification work to improve rail journeys in South Wales

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western

A temporary footbridge will open to Newport residents next week to provide a safe alternative way to cross the railway as Somerton Road bridge closes to allow for the electrification of the railway between London and Swansea.

Electrification will provide faster, greener, quieter and more reliable journeys for tens of thousands of passengers every day. 

It will also help stimulate economic growth by better connecting towns and cities in South Wales and beyond. Journeys from Newport to London could be reduced by up to 15 minutes, helping the city continue to attract high value inward investment.

In order to accommodate the overhead lines which will power the electric trains, some road, foot and rail bridges that span the South Wales Mainline will need to be raised, either by amending the existing structure or demolishing the existing bridge and building a new structure in its place.

Somerton Road bridge dates back to 1850 and the ageing structure will be replaced with a new and improved bridge with a wider footpath and a straighter road.

The bridge closed to vehicles earlier this month and will close to pedestrians from Monday 23 November.

A temporary footbridge has been placed slightly to the east of the bridge linking the areas of Collingwood Road and Hawthorne Avenue.

Andrew Griffiths, development manager for Network Rail Wales, said: “Electrification will mean less noise and pollution for those who live close to the railway line in and around Newport. The increasing numbers of passengers using the railway will also benefit from more frequent, faster, quieter services once this programme of work is completed as part of our Railway Upgrade Plan.

“In order to prepare the railway for the overhead lines which will power electric trains, we need to replace Somerton Road bridge with a new and improved structure and this will mean closing the bridge to carry out the work safely.

“I thank Somerton residents for their patience and encourage them to come along to our next drop-in event if they want to find out more about the project and the long-term benefits electrification will bring to residents and passengers in South Wales.”

Due to a lack of available land space, there is no room for ramps on the temporary bridge, so a bus with a low floor will be in operation to assist those who are less-able to cross over the railway. The bus service will follow the road diversion which takes approximately 20 minutes and will be in operation between 7am and 10pm.

A telephone number for this service will be displayed on a notice board on both the north and south of the bridge and, once contacted, will take approximately five minutes to arrive.

A member of staff will be on hand at peak times to offer help to people with pushchairs and prams and they are also welcome to use the bus service if they prefer.

The diversionary route for cyclists can be found here: www.networkrail.co.uk/newport.

Alternatively, cyclists can use the temporary footbridge but must dismount when using the footpaths on the approach and while on the bridge itself.

Network Rail has worked closely with Newport City Council on an appropriate diversion route to ensure disruption is minimised as much as possible.

Members of the public who would like to discuss the project in detail are invited to attend an information drop-in event on Monday 30 November at the Rascal Hope Centre, 9 Poplar Road, Somerton, Newport, NP19 9AX. Staff from the project team will be on hand between 3.30pm – 6.30pm and residents are encouraged to drop by at any time, no appointment is necessary.

The bulk of work will take place over the Christmas period this year when the bridge is set to be demolished and a new deck installed. The project is expected to be completed in spring 2016.

The electrification project is taking a phased approach to minimise disruption to communities, with work moving from east to west and the project is being carefully planned so that work is staggered to eliminate the chances of neighbouring bridges being closed at the same time.

Anyone who would like further information can call Network Rail’s 24-Hour National Helpline on 03457 11 41 41 or email CRWales@networkrail.co.uk.