Media centre

Friday 14 Dec 2018

Network Rail to remove temporary footbridge at Kerse Road, Stirling

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Network Rail will remove the temporary pedestrian footbridge at Kerse Road in Stirling over two consecutive weekends in January 2019

Installed during the delivery of the bridge reconstruction, work will involve overnight closure of the road to allow the structure to be safely lifted out in sections.

The footbridge will be lifted out in sections using a 450tn crane over two consecutive Saturday nights (12 and 19 January) requiring a full road closure to position the crane. The same ‘all vehicle’ diversion route that was in place during the bridge works will operate.

Just over 100m in length and weighing 85tn in total, the footbridge was installed in January 2018 to maintain pedestrian/cycle access while engineers demolished and replaced the road bridge over the railway.

The replacement of the road bridge was necessary to provide the height clearance to safely run overhead wires, as part of a Scottish Government funded investment being delivered by Network Rail to electrify the line under the Stirling-Dunblane-Alloa(SDA) programme.

The new £8m structure opened to traffic on 19 October 2018 and delivers a significant increase in the width of the bridge, offering the potential for Stirling Council to enhance the carriageway in the future.  

Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout, as the north footpath will remain open, though access will be restricted during the crane lifts.

Iain McFarlane, route delivery director for Stirling Dunblane Alloa electrification said: “The removal of the pedestrian footbridge marks the final milestone on Kerse Road bridge works, following the early reopening of the new structure in October 2018.

“We appreciate that two consecutive Saturday night road closure will be inconvenient for the local community but, as before, we have been working closely with Stirling Council to minimise any disruption.”

“Once again, we thank local people for their continued patience and cooperation as we enter the final phase at Kerse Road, with a view to works being completed overall in February 2019.”