Media centre

Tuesday 9 Sep 2008

RAILWAY BRIDGES LOOK TEN YEARS YOUNGER (WALES)

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western

Wales has received a cash injection of nearly £3m from Network Rail to makeover unsightly railway bridges in the region. These railway bridges, which have been blighted by graffiti, fly posters and pigeons, will be thoroughly cleaned and re-painted to bring them back to their former splendour.

The railway bridges are located at Swansea, Pembroke, Cardiff and Bangor.

Decades of dirt, grime and graffiti will be blasted away using specialist high-powered equipment, and masonry and brick work will be re-grouted before these bridges are given a full lick of paint.

Mark Langman, area general manager, Network Rail says, “The facades of these bridges have been hard done by years of exposure to weather and abuse by graffiti and fly-posters. With this initiative, we will be able to make them look new again and give the surrounding a pleasant feel.

“In order to carry out this work safely and effectively, we will have to implement temporary road closures at some of the sites and we do apologise for that inconvenience.

“We have been working very closely with the relevant authorities to provide diversionary routes and public are welcome to contact our Helpline or the local highway authorities for assistance on the changes.”

Network Rail has completed the work at Swansea and Pembroke and it will be starting work at Waun-Gron, Cardiff, on 15 September. Traffic at Western Avenue, Waun-Gron, will be diverted to facilitate the work and motorists are advised to check with their local highway authority for details.