Network Rail has announced the ‘Beacon’ bridge at Garforth station has hit a major milestone after engineers craned in its deck, meaning local passengers are closer to a new, step-free route between platforms for the first time.
The engineers craned the deck in at night – time which they also used to install the additional link span which connects the station to Aberford Road, thus maintaining the previous entrance to platform one.
The footbridge is expected to be open by the end of June, while the lifts are scheduled to be open by the end of August, as work can only commence once the temporary footbridge has been removed.
The £6m project started last May and is part of the government’s Access for All scheme.
Senior sponsor for Network Rail’s North and East route, Chris Wright, said: “This is a major milestone for Garforth’s ‘Beacon’ bridge project and brings easy, step-free access closer to reality for the station’s passengers.”
The so-called Beacon bridge has been named so because of the striking design of its two lift shafts.
“This bridge is a UK first and we have, naturally, run into some challenges along the way, but our teams have worked hard to overcome those,” continued Chris.
“The installation of the bridge deck is a huge achievement for the project and one I am very proud of. We want to thank passengers and local residents for their continued patience while work progresses.”
Image credit: Network Rail
