Media centre

Monday 27 Feb 2006

ROAD BRIDGES BROUGHT UP TO STRENGTH

Region & Route:

Work costing nearly £800,000 has started on two road-over-rail bridges in Lancashire to bring them up to strength to meet the latest EU safety standards.

One carries the unclassified Meadow Lane over the single-track Ormskirk to Preston line near Rufford, while the other takes the busy Blackpool Road over the twin-track Preston to Blackpool North line in Preston.

Both bridges have been assessed by Network Rail as part of the Bridgeguard 3 programme, which is looking at nearly 1,000 bridges in the North West to ensure they are suitable to carry commercial road vehicles now permitted on Britain’s roads under recent EU legislation.

Tony Wilcock, Network Rail’s Territory Civil Engineer said: “This is part of a massive upgrading programme which is being conducted nationally over the next few years. We couldn’t do it without the considerable help and cooperation of the local authorities involved. When the work is finished, these bridges will be fit for purpose for many years to come.”

The Meadow Lane project will cost just over £500,000 which will be shared approximately equally between Network Rail and Lancashire County Council. The work involves extensive brickwork repairs to the arch and side walls, including tying in dislodged bricks, replacing crumbling bricks (which have been affected by rain and frost), grouting and pointing. Once this has been done, a concrete saddle will be cast over the arch to bring the bridge up to 40 tonnes capacity. Finally, the brick parapets will be increased to bring them up to 1.5 metres and topped off with triangular coping stones.

While the work is being carried out the road will remain open with a single lane carriageway system controlling traffic.

Work on Blackpool Road will cost nearly £300,000 and will be paid for by Network Rail with a small contribution from Lancashire County Council. The road will remain open throughout the work, but traffic is directed away from one side of the bridge by the use of concrete bollards restricting the width of lanes on the dual carriageway. The bridge will be strengthened by placing pre-cast concrete slabs on new steel supports across the service bays in the footpaths.

Completion of the Blackpool Road scheme is due in March whereas the Meadow Lane work is scheduled to be finished in May.