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Thursday 11 Nov 2004

VAN MAN TAKES FRODSHAM BRIDGE FORWARD

Region & Route:

A rail bridge has been restored to its former glory by Network Rail’s ‘Man-in-a-Van’ team, following a meeting with community group Frodsham Forward. The bridge carries the Warrington to Chester rail line over the B5152 Church Street, one of the main roads in the town used by pedestrians and motorists to get to local shops and the high school. Although perfectly safe, the bridge had a run-down appearance.. Network Rail’s community relations adviser Nicki Hall, who worked with Frodsham Forward on the project, said: “Church Street is a well used access point to the town. We wanted to make sure that everyone passing under the bridge felt that we cared about the state of the bridge and the experience of the people who use it. “This £13,000 project has given the town a smart ‘new’ bridge, painted in its original blue colour with welcoming signs proudly displaying its name.” The handrails on top of the bridge that protect railway workers from the drop to the road below were also cleaned up and painted as part of the project. Work on the underside of the bridge and the steel parapet beam meant that Church Street had to be closed and traffic diversions set up. Cheshire County Council could only allow the work to be done at night because the road is so busy during the day. Painting the handrails and fixing the new signs was done from the trackside so this also had to be done at night when trains were not running.