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Thursday 12 Mar 2020

Temporary changes to pedestrian access and train services in Barnsley later this month as Network Rail continues vital bridge upgrade

Region & Route:

Eastern

Network Rail is advising people in Barnsley that there will be no pedestrian access over Hough Lane road bridge in Wombwell later this month. There will also be changes to train services, as major work takes place to upgrade it.

Work began on a project to completely replace Hough Lane road bridge in November 2019. It has been closed to motorists since January 2020, and pedestrian access has been maintained via a temporary footbridge.

Network Rail engineers will be demolishing the old bridge, which was built in 1895, and putting the new one in place between Friday, 27 and Monday, 30 March. The new bridge is stronger, at a raised height and wider, which means people in Wombwell will benefit from wider footpaths and a cycle path.

In order for this work to be carried out safely, there will be temporary changes for pedestrians and passengers in Wombwell:

• There will be no pedestrian access over Hough Lane road bridge between midnight on Friday, 27 March and early in the morning on Monday, 30 March. A shuttle bus service will be in place for pedestrians which will run every 30 minutes.
• There will be changes to Northern services on Saturday, 28 and Sunday, 29 March as the line between Barnsley and Meadowhall will be closed. There will be replacement bus services which will call at Wombwell, Elsecar and Chapeltown. Network Rail is urging passengers to allow more time for their journeys as they may take longer than usual.

The work to upgrade Hough Lane road bridge is expected to be completed in June 2020 and it will remain closed to motorists until then.

Matt Rice, Route Director (North and East) for Network Rail, said: “We would like to apologise for any inconvenience which this work will cause for pedestrians and rail passengers.

“This is really important work to upgrade Hough Lane road bridge, so it can continue to be used for future generations. Once the work is completed, people in the area will benefit from wider footpaths and a cycle path on the bridge.

“We strongly advise passengers travelling between Barnsley and Meadowhall to allow plenty of time for their journeys, as they will need to use replacement bus services over the weekend.”

Steve Hopkinson, Regional Director at Northern, said: “The weekend closure will cause some disruption for our passengers, but the long-term benefits are vitally important.

“We are working with Network Rail to keep that disruption to a minimum, but everyone travelling in the area should plan their journeys carefully.”

ENDS