Media centre

Thursday 9 Mar 2006

RAILWAY IMPROVEMENT WORK CONTINUES IN TAMWORTH

Region & Route:

Network Rail engineers took a significant step forward this week as the centre sections of the Upper Gungate bridge in Tamworth were replaced. The work is part of the Trent Valley four tracking project (TV4) that will deliver major improvements to the railway through the town. To enable the railway to be extended to four tracks, the bridge has to be rebuilt and widened. On Saturday the centre sections of the bridge were demolished and work to replace them got underway. Using a 300 tonne crane, steel beams were placed in position, over which concrete will be poured in the next few weeks to form the new road. The work was carried out over the weekend to ensure minimum disruption was caused to local traffic. Good weather conditions meant that work progressed well and no changes to traffic flows will be needed this weekend. Work is also underway to widen the rail cutting running parallel to Salters Lane. This means that Salters Lane will be closed in one direction at various times during March and April. It will be closed to traffic coming from the junction with Upper Gungate but will remain open to traffic heading to Upper Gungate. There will be a sign-posted diversionary route back to Salters Lane via Upper Gungate, Comberford Road, Thackeray Drive and Masefield Drive. The work at Upper Gungate is scheduled to finish by late 2007.