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Tuesday 21 Jun 2016

Lincoln High Street footbridge to open on Friday

Region & Route:

A state-of-the-art footbridge which will significantly increase the safety at a busy level crossing in Lincoln will open to the public this Friday.

High Street level crossing is currently ranked by Network Rail as the highest risk level crossing for misuse in the region, but from Friday the new footbridge, which includes lifts, will mean pedestrians can now cross the railway safely when the barriers are down.

The crossing on High Street sees over 140 trains per day pass through, with the latest census report showing almost 35,000 pedestrians or cyclists use it every day. Worryingly, pedestrians are often seen running over the crossing once the lights sequence has begun and even when the barriers have started to lower, significantly increasing the risk of a safety incident.

Now Network Rail is urging people to use the new footbridge and not to take a risk by using the crossing once the lights sequence as begun. CCTV footage taken from January this year shows a woman fall as she attempts to run over the crossing before the barriers close.

The footbridge will be officially opened by Lincoln MP Karl McCartney and Network Rail’s route enhancements manager Stephen Hind at 11am.

Rob McIntosh, route managing director for Network Rail, said: “I’m so pleased for the people of Lincoln that this day has arrived. Safety on the railway is our absolute priority and building a footbridge on this scale in such a heavily used and built up area has presented lots of challenges, but we have never wavered in our commitment to deliver this footbridge to separate pedestrians and cyclists from trains at High Street level crossing. What we need now is for people to use it, to make it part of their daily routine, and not take a chance by running over the crossing when the barriers are closing.”

Plans for a second footbridge at nearby Brayford Wharf level crossing are to be submitted to the planning authority next month after Network Rail confirmed in April that additional funds had been found.

Notes to editors

High Street is ranked as number one on the level crossing risk register for the London North Eastern and East Midlands route. Brayford Wharf level crossing is currently ranked at number three. 

The footbridge will open to the public from around 7am on Friday 24 June, with the opening ceremony due to take place at 11am.

Karl McCartney and Stephen Hind will be available for interview after the opening ceremony. A Network Rail spokesperson will be available on site from 8am.