Media centre

Thursday 2 Jan 2003

NETWORK RAIL SPENDS £1M ON RAIL BRIDGE

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Network Rail is spending £1 million refurbishing Carlisle Bridge, which carries the main west coast railway line over the River Lune north of Lancaster station. The work is being carried out by the North West Structures Alliance, a partnership between Network Rail and its contractor Edmund Nuttall Ltd, and is expected to last up to five months. Train services will not be affected by the work but the pedestrian footpath that forms part of the bridge will be closed for safety reasons. However, there is an alternative river crossing via the new Millennium Bridge. The refurbishment project consists of strengthening the bridge by adding extra steelwork to bring it up to modern standards and repainting it from its present bright blue to a more pleasing pale blue/grey.  A second phase of work costing a further £750,000 will be undertaken later this year or early in 2004 when the approach spans on the south side of the bridge are waterproofed and the footpath handrails refurbished. Tim Clarke, Director of Network Rail’s North West region said: “Spending almost £2m on this bridge over the next two years demonstrates Network Rail’s commitment to provide a safe, reliable railway for the UK. Bringing the bridge up to modern day standards will ensure its life for many years to come.”