Media centre

Wednesday 24 Sep 2014

A338 Wantage Road will stay open during major bridge reconstruction

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

Network Rail has confirmed that the A338 Wantage Road bridge will remain open for the majority of the improvements.

Network Rail is building a new, higher bridge across the railway line as part of its Great Western Electrification Programme. New, faster, quieter and cleaner trains will draw power from overhead lines and the extra height is needed to ensure clearance.

The road will not need to be closed, as the new bridge will be constructed alongside the existing one. Minor, short-term restrictions may be in place at times during the process but for the majority of the time traffic will flow normally.

Once the new bridge is complete the old bridge will be demolished. Work will start in within the next couple of months and the bridge will open next summer

Members of the public are being invited to attend a drop-in evening to find out more about the works. The event will take place between 4pm and 7pm on Thursday 2^nd October at the Old Mill Hall, School Lane Grove, Wantage OX12 7LB. Members of the Network Rail project team will be on hand throughout to explain the work being undertaken and to answer any questions.

Jim Weeden, Project Director for Network Rail, said: “Electrification will bring huge benefits to the region, and together with a fleet of new trains, will improve journey times and make services more comfortable, smoother, and quieter for passengers and people living near the railway.

“Wantage Road is one of a number of bridges over the railway that need to be rebuilt as part of our electrification programme. While it’s not always possible to build a new bridge alongside an existing one, we’ve been able to take that approach at Wantage Road and, as a result, disruption to road users and pedestrians will be kept to an absolute minimum.”