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Tuesday 29 Nov 2022

Network Rail thanks residents and motorists as Torbay Road bridge set to be finished before Christmas

Region & Route:

Wales & Western

| Wales & Western: Western

• Long-running bridge replacement project due to complete before Christmas
• The bridge will be closed to traffic and pedestrians for up to a week from 11 December for resurfacing

Network Rail has thanked residents and motorists for their patience as it approaches the final works to complete the replacement bridge over the railway between Torbay and Paignton.

Work to replace the life-expired bridge began in January but it has taken much longer than planned owing to a series of supply chain issues and difficulties working around the existing BT cables.

Having completed the concrete structures for the bridge side walls and new permanent pedestrian walkways in November, the final stage of the project is to resurface the road and footpaths. This can only be done whilst the bridge is closed to all traffic and pedestrians and will take several days to complete. 

The bridge will be closed from Sunday 11 December finishing on Sunday 18 December. Signage to give drivers and pedestrians advance notice will be displayed two weeks before the bridge closure (from 27 November).

Stuart Calvert, Network Rail’s capital delivery director, said: “I am delighted that this challenging project is now coming to a conclusion.

“It has taken much longer than anyone would have wanted so I would like to sincerely thank the local community for their patience and I apologise for the disruption they have endured.

“A final road closure is needed to complete the works but we will get the resurfacing done as quickly as possible so we can open the bridge to traffic and pedestrians as soon as it is ready.”