Work to start on new £7m footbridge in Telford
Work is due to start on Monday on the new £7m footbridge that will provide a link between Telford Town Centre and Telford Central railway station.
Initial surveying work will be followed by some surplus vegetation being cleared ahead of the approaching bird nesting season.
Earthworks and civil engineering construction work will begin in earnest on the structures of the bridge later in the spring.
The new bridge will replace the existing red footbridge and cycle route, which is expensive to maintain, is too steep and does not comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.
The replacement of the bridge will support the regeneration of Telford Central and provide a unique and iconic gateway to the borough.
The work to upgrade the Town Centre’s transport infrastructure, which started with the Box Road being made two way, is also including Rampart Way and part of Hall Park Way becoming dual carriageways.
The new bridge and the work to turn the two roads into dual carriageways are mostly funded by the Department for Transport, along with some funding from Section 106 contributions.
Councillor Angela McClements, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Transport, said: “I am delighted that work is about to get under way on what is a very major engineering project, with the new bridge crossing what will be two dual carriageways and a live railway line.
“The new bridge will be constructed on a slightly different alignment to the current structure in order that the existing bridge can stay in place while the new one is built.”
The new bridge is part of a package of infrastructure improvements in Telford Town Centre which are funded by a combination of the Department for Transport and Section 106 contributions. The package also includes turning Rampart Way and part of Hall Park Way into dual carriageways.
