Media centre

Thursday 2 May 2024

New, safer way to cross East Coast Main Line as new bridleway bridge opens in Biggleswade

Region & Route:

Eastern

| Eastern: East Coast

Biggleswade’s residents and visitors now have a safer way to cross the East Coast Main Line thanks to a new bridleway bridge at Lindsells Level Crossing.

Work started in December 2022 on the fully accessible bridleway bridge which allows pedestrians, horse riders, cyclists and other users to safely cross the railway line, providing better access and connectivity for the community, and promoting active and sustainable travel.

Rising eight metres above the track with ramps approximately 185 metres long on each side, it now serves as a vital link for Biggleswade’s Green Wheel, a walking and cycling route around the outskirts of the town.

There are four tracks at Lindsells which carry over 300 trains per day travelling at speeds of up to 125mph. The bridleway bridge removes the need for users to cross the railway line via a nearby level crossing, improving safety for users as well as to train crew and train passengers.

In the last 3 years there have been 4 “near misses” at the crossing, defined as when a driver has to apply their emergency brake. As a result of the bridge opening, Lindsells Level Crossing has now closed and has been blocked off to pedestrians.

The bridge was officially opened by Paul Mason, Central Bedfordshire Council's Chief Officer for Infrastructure Delivery; Councillor Mark Foster, Mayor of Biggleswade Town Council; and Louise Cox, Head of Route Safety, Health and Environment for Network Rail. Members of the Network Rail project team, who initiated and led on the bridge’s construction, were also there to mark the opening.

Louise Cox, Head of Route Safety, Health, and Environment for Network Railsaid: "We’re thrilled to see this new bridleway bridge open which will provide a safe route across the busy East Coast Main Line for local people.

"At Network Rail, keeping people safe on and around the railway is at the heart of everything we do, and it has been great to work with local stakeholders to deliver this project which will meet our values.

Councillor Hayley Whitaker, Central Bedfordshire’s Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Families Education and Children said: "The new bridge is a welcome addition to the town and a key element of the ‘Biggleswade Green Wheel’, that connects the town with its green spaces and making it safer for people to get outside and enjoy the countryside."

Lindsells Crossing Bridleway Bridge is part of wider investment in infrastructure funded by Homes England’s Housing infrastructure Fund.