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Monday 4 Sep 2017

First phase of upgrade work at Splott Road bridge completed ahead of schedule

Region & Route:

Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western

Engineers have completed the partial demolition of Splott Road bridge as work continues to prepare the railway from London to Cardiff for the overhead wires and posts needed to power trains running on electricity.

Network Rail is carrying out essential upgrade work to a number of bridges in Cardiff to raise the structures, which will give clearance for the new equipment to support brand new bi-mode Intercity Express Trains.

Splott Road bridge is being rebuilt in two phases to help maintain traffic flow and pedestrian access and minimise disruption to the local community. Businesses on the bridge remain open during the work.

The carriageway carrying traffic from Adamsdown to Splott has reopened to traffic and the opposite side of the carriageway will now close to allow the second phase of work to begin.

Andy Thomas, Network Rail Wales route managing director, said: “This work, as part of our Railway Upgrade Plan, will ensure that the bridge is fit for modern day city traffic, as well as being able to accommodate the equipment needed to improve the passenger experience.

“Our railway is vital to economic prosperity, linking people, businesses and communities and we would like to thank the local community for their patience during this improvement work.”

Phase one of the project at Splott Road bridge began in February 2017 and the partial demolition was carried out over August bank holiday weekend, when engineers worked day and night to demolish and reconstruct one side of the bridge in preparation for the overhead line equipment needed for new bi-mode trains, which will run on electricity to Cardiff by 2019.  

The bridge has reopened with traffic management in place whilst work continues to prepare the second half of the structure for demolition and reconstruction in 2018.

Adamsdown footbridge, known as ‘Black Bridge’, has now reopened to pedestrians following essential upgrade work to raise the structure. The footbridge will be temporarily closed overnight on some Saturdays until mid-autumn 2017. While the majority of the work has been completed at the bridge, these night time closures will allow engineers to complete the project at a time which causes minimum disruption to the local community.