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Friday 23 Feb 2007

£1.3 MILLION FOR BIRMINGHAM BRIDGE UPGRADES

Region & Route:

Network Rail is investing £1.3 million to strengthen five road-over-rail bridges in Birmingham and the Black Country to bring them up to European standards. The strengthening work is being carried out on Birchfield Road, Nechells Place and Mount Street in Birmingham, Lower High Street in Sandwell and Leys Road in Dudley. The bridges have been assessed by Network Rail as part of the Bridgeguard 3 programme, which is looking at nearly 300 bridges in the West Midlands to ensure they are able to carry the large commercial road vehicles now permitted on Britain's roads under recent EU legislation. Chris Rowley, Area General Manager said: "This is part of a massive upgrading programme which is being conducted nationally and several bridges in the West Midlands have already benefited from strengthening work. These schemes could not be completed without the considerable help and cooperation of the local authorities involved. When the work is finished, it will ensure these primary routes can remain open for many years to come." Work on the bridges began in January and all bridges will be complete by the end of April 2007. The Lower High Street, Leys Road and Mount Street bridges are entirely funded by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council and Birmingham City Council respectively. Birchfield Road and Nechells Place will be funded by Network Rail and Birmingham City Council. Typically, the work involves strengthening the existing structures by use of a concrete overslab to these structures and some additional brickwork repairs. Once the work is complete the bridges will be able to carry up to 40 tonne vehicles.