Major upgrade works have begun today, 25th July, to bolster a Bedfordshire bridge in Oakley, to ensure it maintains its strength and stability for drivers and passengers for decades to come.
The Highfield Road Bridge acts to carry road traffic safely over a portion of the Midland Main Line between Bedford and Wellington and requires maintenance to support its historic foundations. The works will see reinforcement measures taken through Network Rail and their engineers; set be carried out over the coming months.
Whilst the teams of workers are undertaking this project, they will also be using the time to carry out careful inspections of the historic infrastructure and repair any unknown damages that exist outside of the schemes core goal. The extra maintenance will hopefully reduce the need for future works of this nature, allowing budgetary allocations free for different future rejuvenation requirements across the rail network.
To see this initiative conducted safety, temporary scaffolding must be erected on a section of Highfield Road, that will be required to be partially closed to cars on weekdays from Monday 25 July until Friday 2 September. This road will remain fully open and accessible in both directions throughout the weekend during this period.
Gary Walsh, Route Director for East Midlands at Network Rail said:
“Safety is our top priority and completing this essential upgrade in Oakley will mean that Highfield Road bridge remains safe and reliable for both drivers and rail passengers for many years to come.
“We’ve worked carefully with the local authorities to identify the least disruptive time to carry out the work, and we have chosen to do it during the school summer holidays to keep the impact on the community to a minimum. I do apologise in advance to those who are affected by this work.”
Some early morning and late-night services will be retimed to keep workers safe, so passengers should check before they travel with National Rail Enquiries.
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