Media centre

Monday 8 Jun 2015

Corsham footbridge is reopened to the public

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

Residents of Corsham are a step closer to the benefits that electrification will bring after the bridge over the railway line between The Cleeve and Pound Mead reopened to the public today, Monday 8 June, on schedule.

The replacement of this bridge is an essential part of Network Rail’s electrification programme to enable a new fleet of longer, faster, quieter and greener electric trains to serve commuters in Wiltshire travelling on the route between Cardiff and London. The new bridge is higher, creating the additional space needed for the overhead lines which will power the new trains to run underneath.

The most visually striking aspect of the replacement work took place in March and as this time-lapse photography shows, involved a 500-tonne crane lifting the new bridge over a block of flats and into position.

Since then the project team worked to divert utility services and connect the existing road to the new bridge.

Andy Haynes, Network Rail’s west of England project director, said: “We were very aware that the temporary closure of this bridge could inconvenience residents, which is why my team worked hard to complete the work in as short a timeframe as possible.

“I would like to thank the local community for their patience and support while we undertook the significant work needed to prepare this bridge for the electrification of the railway. Now it is complete, we are another step closer to bringing the benefits of electrification and the new electric trains to Wiltshire.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

For the latest information on the Western route, please follow our Twitter account @networkrailgwrm.

About the Great Western Electrification Programme

Electrification will transform the railway between London and Oxford, Newbury, Bristol and Cardiff to deliver a faster, greener, quieter and more reliable railway for passengers, with extra capacity. Electrifying this part of the Great Western route will enhance 235 miles of one of Britain’s busiest and oldest railways, better connecting major towns and cities across southern England and South Wales. This investment, as well as the introduction of a fleet of new trains, will improve journey times and make services more comfortable, smoother, cleaner and quieter for passengers and people living near the railway.