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THE HEWISH RAILBRIDGE WILL BE CLOSED COMPLETELY FROM

07 NOVEMBER 2011 until 02 APRIL 2012 

 

 

Information supplied by Network Rail at the meeting on 03 March 2011

NETWORK RAIL BRIDGE – PUXTON, NORTH SOMERSET

Known as Hardwick’s Overbridge

 

INFORMATION SHEET

 

History

 

• The bridge is located on the Main Line (London Paddington to Penzance) at 132 miles and 69 chains crossing to the north eastern side of Weston Super Mare.

 

• The bridge carries the well used Wick Road, a minor country road, over the twin railway tracks.

 

• The road rises on curved embankments to cross the bridge and is only 5 metres wide, meaning that the sight lines for approaching traffic are impaired.  There is also insufficient space for 2 heavy goods vehicles to pass on the bridge.

 

• Previous assessments of the bridge have been carried out, and these have rated the bridge at a 0 Tonne capacity and the abutments at a 3 Tonne capacity.  These ratings relate directly to the full width of the bridge.

 

• As a result of these assessments, further inspections and calculations were carried out.  This allowed for a 7.5 Tonne capacity to be imposed with a single traffic lane restriction.  This is the reason why temporary traffic lights have been installed on either side of the bridge.

 

What Next?

 

• 4 different options for remediation works have been considered.  2 of these were for strengthening works, and 2 of these were for a replacement bridge.

 

• The strengthening works both carried deliverability and financial risks and were discarded as a result.  The main reasons for this is that there are parts of the bridge deck which are buried, and therefore their condition is unknown.  Additionally, the extent of the strengthening works was forecast to be extremely costly, and in comparison to new works would also provide for a short shelf life (50 years, compared to 120 years).

 

• The replacement options that were considered were for a 40 Tonne capacity with improved clearances over the railway which allow for future needs on this route.

 

• Network Rail have taken one of the replacement options forward and through a competitive process, awarded the work to Carillion.

 

• Works are planned to take place during the 2011/2012 financial year.

  

The Plan

 

• A new concrete bridge deck will be installed, with new galvanised steel parapets to provide for vehicle containment.

 

• The parapets will be painted in a Holly Green.

 

• Works are planned to take place between 31^st October 2011 and 16^th March 2012.

 

• There will be a series of short weekend railway closures which allow the preparatory works to take place.  These will occur from 5^th November until 3^rd December 2011.

 

• There will be 2 longer weekend railway closures to allow the old bridge to be removed, and for the new bridge to be installed.  These will occur on the weekends of the 10^th and the 17^th December 2011.

 

• It will be necessary for the road to be closed while the works are being carried out, the majority of which will between December 2011 and February 2012.  However, the exact dates are not yet known as a BT cable also has to be diverted away from the bridge to allow the works to proceed without delay.  A request has been made to BT to provide their timescales to Network Rail so that local residents and businesses can be informed.

 

• While the road is closed, a temporary footbridge will be installed to provide pedestrian access over the railway.

 

• For the mobility centre, situated close to the bridge, car parking will be provided adjacent to the Carillion’s site compound which will link in to the entrance for the temporary footbridge.

 

• The new bridge will provide for a single carriageway and a marked up footway.

 

• Permanent two way traffic lights will be installed on the new bridge to control traffic flow and speeds.

 

• North Somerset County Council will advise on the weight restriction which they will impose on the new structure.

 

PUXTON BRIDGE

 

We are pleased to inform you that the damage to Oldbridge River Bridge on Puxton Lane was not terminal and works to repair it will be starting on Friday 13th June for a period of around three weeks after which the bridge will be re-opened in its previous format with the weight and width restrictions retained.

War in Puxton

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