Work began in May 2022 on the Ravenscraig Bridge project, which has now seen the brand new 5,000-tonne bridge installed during May 2023.
The bridge will support communities by increasing connectivity to education and employment opportunities for those living in North Lanarkshire.
The project comes as part of a broader multimillion programme, the Ravenscraig Access Infrastructure project with funding of £127.2m and also local investment of £61.9 million made into the local area from North Lanarkshire Council and the Glasgow City Region City Deal.
The village and new town of Ravenscraig will see improvements in both road and travel routes thanks to the project, which has marked impeccable practices regarding community engagement and sustainability over the past year.
Paul Kelly, Deputy Leader, of North Lanarkshire Council, said:
“It's really good to see this positive partnership develop between North Lanarkshire Council and Network Rail over the last year. This has not only been in delivering this huge infrastructure programme that will have significant benefits for Ravenscraig but in supporting our wider vision by generating tangible benefits for the community throughout the project.”
Jeremy Spence, Programme Manager, Network Rail, said:
“This project has been a fantastic collaboration between Network Rail, STORY, and North Lanarkshire Council.”
“We've been building a bridge, but it is so much more than that. Of course, this project is just a small part of the overall Ravenscraig development, which is at the forefront of creating new opportunities for the people living in North Lanarkshire, and we are proud to have been able to contribute to an enduring legacy for this area.”
The project has supported Network Rail's bid to create a more efficient and environmentally friendly railway and, alongside STORY, has upheld the project's core social values by creating real learning opportunities for young local people.
Six students from schools local to the project were provided work placements which saw them shadow its managers, agents and engineers, providing them with a unique opportunity to learn about the operation of a live site alongside technical skills, including one-to-one coaching.
The placements have also seen some students offered permanent opportunities, including Jay Leese-Young who has been offered a quantity surveying apprenticeship which will begin this September whilst he studies at Glasgow Caledonian University one day each week.
Eoghainn MacPhee, Trainee Engineer, STORY said:
“I have learned a lot so far on my graduate apprenticeship programme. It has been a brilliant experience. I have gained lots of knowledge about the duties and expectations of a civil engineer whilst working on an interesting project, such as Ravenscraig.”
David Hamilton, Senior Project Manager, STORY, said:
“Collectively, we are proud to deliver such an essential upgrade to the railway infrastructure that has wider benefits for the Ravenscraig community.”
“In addition to the engineering works, we were also able to put our motto of ‘doing it right' into action, working with local schools to make a real difference to the lives of young people.”
The community-focused project has also seen over 100 volunteer hours provided with work carried out in Motherwell by charity, the Simon Community, including gardening, tidying, painting and redecorating gardens. The charity supports people experiencing homelessness.
To find out more about ongoing work on the bridge, please visit www.scotlandsrailway.com/projects/ravenscraig or on Twitter @NetworkRailSCOT
To learn more about the project please visit http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/ravenscraig-south-citydeal.
