Media centre

Sunday 29 Feb 2004

HOLMETHORPE BRIDGE – FULL STEAM AHEAD

Region & Route:

| Southern

Surrey County Council and Network Rail have reached a satisfactory agreement that gives the go ahead for Holmethorpe Bridge, Redhill. The construction of the new bridge under the tracks, posed a number of potential risks to the operation of the railway, including delays to services, which could impose unacceptable financial penalties on Network Rail and Surrey County Council.  Surrey County Council and Network Rail are not funded to absorb these potential financial penalties and an agreement was sought to reduce liability costs to both organisations.   The new deal will see the local authorities liability limited. Permission to sign the contract with Network Rail was granted at a meeting of the Council’s Executive on February 17 and will give the green light for the construction of hundreds of urgently needed new houses by Linden Homes. Chris McCarthy, the County Council’s Executive Director for Sustainable Development said: “Since this issue was first identified a few months ago we have negotiated with Network Rail so this important scheme can proceed.  I am delighted at the relatively swift and satisfactory conclusion.  This is to the credit of all concerned and I am very pleased we have found a way forward and now Redhill can have the bridge it desperately needs.“ Ron Gisby, Regional Director, Network Rail, added “We are pleased that by working together with Surrey County Council, this scheme can go ahead and bring long term benefits to the local community.” This Agreement is the final stage in a project that has been running for almost 20 years to improve access to a major industrial site, enable large scale housing to take place and enable the construction of the Holmethorpe relief road that will significantly reduce journeys by heavy lorries through the town of Redhill.