Work has started on the installation of a new cycle bridge at Offchurch in Warwickshire, where National Cycle Route 41 crosses the new HS2 high-speed railway line.
Route 41 connects Bristol, Gloucester, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Rugby, and is part of the national cycle network, which is maintained by the charity Walk Wheel Cycle Trust. Last October, HS2 engineers completed construction of bridges over the B4455 Fosse Way and at Offchurch Greenway, which provides a route for local road and cycle traffic across HS2. All three bridges were built by HS2’s construction partner, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV).
Work started on the new cycle bridge last July and is expected to open in September. To ensure it can be lifted and lowered safely into the position where it can be connected to its abutments, the B4455 Fosse Way near Offchurch will be closed until Sunday, 26th April. Once the bridge has been installed, work will start on completing the abutment side walls, landscaping, and fencing.
A video of the bridge lift can be seen here.
Two female engineers, Kathryn Morgan and Charlotte Gibberson, working for BBV, are leading the bridge construction project. BBV recruited Kathryn through its graduate engineer programme, and Charlotte joined BBV as a civil engineering apprentice.
Offchurch Greenway Cycle Bridge is the first structure Kathryn Morgan has delivered since completing her graduate scheme, and is a major step in her development as a Section Engineer, by strengthening her technical skills and confidence. Charlotte Gibberson commented that, as an engineering apprentice, working on a project like HS2 is a dream come true, and every day she is learning from the best, and applying her new skills to help build structures like the new cycle bridge.
Three miles away from Offchurch, last month, HS2 engineers launched a 1,620-tonne bridge deck over the Grand Union Canal near Ufton in Warwickshire.
“All three bridges will play an important role in improving safety and connectivity and I’d like to thank our team of engineers who are working exceptionally hard to deliver this programme of work. When the new bridge opens, I’m confident it will be welcomed by cyclists from near and far who visit Warwickshire to enjoy this stunning section of the Route 41 trail.”
Vicki Lee, HS2 Ltd’s Senior Project Manager
Responses
HS2 has an excellent publicity team. Very few days go by without another example of celebratory self appraisal. However on the handsacre extension the only work one can see is near the roads, the high publicity bits, not a lot of evidence of a joined up railway. I note that the vimeo video of the bridge lift seems to show the bridge but little evidence of any lift. I await the next exciting press release illustrating how the not inconsiderable money that each of us are “donating “ to this magnificent project is being spent. Shame I won’t live long enough to see any trains running and be told how it is beneficial to all our communities and great grandchildren