Media centre

Monday 29 Apr 2013

Castle Cary rail bridge repairs to give 50-year lease of life to Ansford Bridge

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western

Network Rail will begin work in the summer on a long-awaited project to strengthen and repair a bridge near Castle Cary railway station, meaning the bridge won’t need any further major work for another 50 years.

Work is scheduled to start on the Ansford A overbridge on the A371 near Castle Cary railway station on Monday, 8 July.

The programme runs through to the end of November 2013. A full road closure lasting 19 weeks to Friday, 15 November will be needed to undertake the work. This will be followed by two weeks of follow-up works under temporary traffic lights. The bridge will be closed to all vehicles and pedestrian traffic.

There is no weight restriction on the bridge at present, but if the works are not carried out this year Network Rail will need to assess the structure again as the condition deteriorates further over time. This may lead to a weight restriction being applied.

Once the works are complete it will be able to continue to pass all traffic without major works for another 50 years.

Network Rail community relations manager for Western Region, Robin Basu, said: “We are closing the bridge because we need to strengthen and repair the bridge as part of our responsibility to maintain and upgrade the nation’s railway infrastructure, and also ensure this structure can carry the increasing road traffic loading.

“We need to remove and replace the existing bridge deck. Due to its original construction, this cannot be done in two halves. In addition, in order to keep the railway line open, the scaffolding required to access the outside of the bridge girders will be mounted on the bridge deck.

“Our contractors Murphy Group are planning to work seven days a week wherever possible in order to complete the programme as quickly as possible. Following negotiations with Somerset County Council, we have already reduced the original road closure from 24 weeks to 19 weeks by investing in a ‘crash deck’, which will allow us to work during the week while trains are running.

“The only method of reducing the programme significantly would be to replace the structure entirely. This would require a significant additional level of funding and, following enquiries within Network Rail, and by the wider community, this funding has not been made available.”

Network Rail is to write to nearly 500 households in the Castle Cary area within five kilometres of the bridge to communicate details of the road closure. Around 5,000 leaflets will be distributed to passengers using Castle Cary railway station and to local parish and town councils for further distribution.

In addition, Network Rail will also be holding a drop in meeting on Saturday, 11 May, at Caryford Hall, Ansford, from 10am to 2pm. This will give the community an opportunity to speak directly to project representatives and to have any queries or concerns answered.

Network Rail will also communicate project information via Castle Cary Town Council’s website and through local newspapers. This will include advertisements to support local businesses affected by the road closure.

Robin Basu added: “We are planning to take out advertising in the local newspaper to explain that local businesses are still open. Any business wishing to participate should contact us on 08457 11 41 41 or visit www.networkrail.co.uk.”