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Monday 5 Sep 2022

Beverley station footbridge to close on safety grounds

Region & Route:

Eastern

| Eastern: North & East

Beverley station’s 130-year-old Grade II-listed footbridge will close this week to keep station users, train drivers and passengers safe, before being sympathetically refurbished next year.

With a rotting wooden canopy and a rise in antisocial behaviour, Network Rail urgently needs to close the footbridge to put safety first. To remove the risk of pieces of the weakened canopy falling onto the tracks, the bridge will be closed from the end of service on Friday 9 September until further notice.

Until now, staff have carried out daily maintenance checks to keep the area safe, but this is a temporary and unsustainable solution.

It comes after East Riding Council approved plans to remove the bridge’s centuries-old wooden canopy following years of wear and tear. During 2023, Network Rail will complete this work and fully refurbish the original cast iron structure.

Matt Rice, North & East Route Director for Network Rail said: “I know how important this footbridge is to the heritage of Beverley station and how well-loved it is by passengers. That’s why we want to see it eventually refurbished and, crucially, made safe for people to use and trains to pass beneath.

“Closing the footbridge as soon as we can is the safest option, and it needs to happen. I’m sorry to anybody who is upset or inconvenienced by our decision. I’d like to thank East Riding Council, Historic England and our rail industry partners for their continued support.”

Network Rail explored multiple options before deciding that closing the footbridge was the only viable option to keep people safe while preserving as much of the heritage as possible.

The bridge is thought to have been installed in the 1880s, with the wooden canopy being a later addition. As a Grade II-listed structure, the plans have been given the green light by Historic England, and some of the original features have been offered to the National Railway Museum.

Access between Beverley station’s two platforms will be maintained via the level crossing on Armstrong Way. Passengers should speak to station staff if they need any help and allow extra time for switching platforms.

Tony Baxter, Regional Director for Northern, said: “The safety of our passengers and staff is our number one priority, so we support the closure of the footbridge at this time. Of course, as a local landmark we look forward to its restoration and re-opening whereby it will continue to serve the rail users of Beverley for many more decades to come.”

ENDS