UK’s first ‘Beacon’ bridge will make Yorkshire station accessible

A new bridge being constructed at the railway station at Garforth in Leeds, West Yorkshire, is the first of its kind in the UK.

The bridge is called a ‘Beacon' bridge, owing to the striking design of its two lift shafts that will provide rail passengers with safe and step-free access to the station platforms for the first time. Artist impressions of the new bridge have been released that show its striking design.

£6m funding for the bridge is coming from the Department for Transport's Access for All programme. Construction is due to start at the end of this month and will be completed by April next year.

While the work takes place, the capacity of the station's car park will be reduced by around 60 spaces, and there will be different routes to/from the platforms but these alternative routes will be clearly signposted.

The existing footbridge is Grade II listed, and Network Rail ran a consultation process with interested parties as part of its ‘asset disposal' process. It was hoped to identify a new home for the existing structure in Yorkshire, but despite expressions of interest, there were no firm proposals from any organisations that would have seen the bridge remain in the county.

Instead, the bridge is being carefully dismantled and will be relocated to the Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway in Kent. While the Beacon bridge is under construction, a temporary footbridge will be installed in June to maintain access between the station platforms.

During the construction of the new bridge, Network Rail will hold regular community engagement sessions with neighbours as the project progresses. At the end of last year, Network Rail held a public consultation in Garforth  on the Transpennine Route Upgrade.

Chris Wright, Senior Sponsor for Network Rail, said: “The Beacon bridge has been designed with increased focus on people and place. The structure appears lighter than traditional designs, with the glass deck and stairs preserving views of the adjacent listed road bridge. More crucially, it will deliver the long-awaited step-free access that Garforth needs and deserves. Being able to release these images is hugely exciting as we move into the construction phase of the project.”

Tony Baxter, Regional Director for Northern, said: “We welcome all investment in rail infrastructure. This project will have a big impact on the customer experience at Garforth and we look forward to the bridge opening in 2024.”