First new Telford bridge sections to be delivered later this month
Ground works to create a landmark bridge near Telford’s railway station are nearing completion in readiness for the delivery of newly-constructed sections.
The new bridge will span two dual carriageways and a live railway line and will provide a new link between Telford Central station and Telford town centre.
Since the autumn the ground around the current bridge has been cleared while in Leeds, work began at specialist fabricators SH Structures to make the parts that, when assembled, will form the new bridge.
The section of bridge crossing the railway and its supporting sections weighing over 50 tonnes, will be the first pieces to arrive this later this month and will be hoisted into place in the summer.
Telford & Wrekin Council spokeswoman Maria Bagnall said the project was progressing well.
She said: "The bridge will be delivered in multiple sections and bolted and welded together on site.
"Piling operations continue along the west side of Rampart Way and east side of the A442 and the piling rig is due to be on site for several weeks to come."
She said contractor Balfour Beatty has created a challenge for children through its considerate constructors scheme, promoting UK construction to a young audience through a character called ‘Ivor Goodsite’.
Ivor helps communicate site safety messages to children and encourages young people to consider construction as a possible future career.
Along with Southwater Library, an Ivor Goodsite ‘hunt the hazard’ display and puzzle has been created for children to identify hazards on a construction site.
People can collect a copy from the library and all successful entries receive an Ivor certificate.
The deadline for entries is April 20.
When completed, the Department for Transport-funded scheme will also include lifts to both platforms.
The new glass-sided bridge will be cheaper to maintain with a path to the town centre that won’t be as steep as the current one.
The two dual carriageways carry about 14 million vehicles a year.
The scheme is funded by a government grant that has been awarded to the council and can only be spent on the project.
See telford.gov.uk/telfordfootbridge for more details.
