Another Telford footbridge lift to bring further road closures
The first section went to plan – and now people in Telford are being prepared for the final instalment in the great railway bridge project.
The link between Telford Central railway station and the town centre will be completed when workmen return in September.
The 230ft high crane, which is half again as tall as the Telford Plaza One building, will be back in Telford – giving spectators a chance to see it for an even more technical lift on a much larger scale.
The next section of the footbridge will provide access across the A442 and Rampart Way when it opens towards the autumn.
As a result, road closures are expected to be similar to the first lift, with the highways team balancing the need for safety with demands on the transport network.
The closures will include both day and night work to minimise impact where possible and details will be announced closer to the time via the council's website and social media channels.
Spectators will again be able to watch the lift via a live stream at www.telford.gov.uk/footbridge and there are plans for a dedicated viewing area.
Details will be announced in due course, the council said.
The second section will involve the installation of a larger bridge, currently sitting alongside the A442. It will eventually replace the existing bridge over the dual carriageway.
The work will be in September, on a date yet to be fixed, and is expected to see the road closed for several days.
Councillor Hilda Rhodes, cabinet member for transport, roads and broadband, said she was delighted with the way the town responded to the disruption caused by the lifting of the first bridge over the railway tracks.
“This is an extremely complex engineering project spanning two dual carriageways and a live railway line so the road closures are absolutely necessary," Councillor Rhodes said.
“We are extremely grateful to residents, their co-operation earlier this month meant traffic was managed well around the restricted network with only some minor delays to journeys – just two minutes – which is quite an achievement given the major closure.
“I want to thanks everyone who helped. I am hoping the town can rally together again for the September closures too for the final lift.
"Once in place we’ll be able to really see how the new gateway to Telford town centre will change the way visitors are welcomed and provide a far more accessible and pleasant journey for commuters.”
