A first of its kind, near maintenance-free bridge has been installed in Bicester to make crossing the railway safer for both pedestrians and cyclists.
The footbridge replaces the Jarvis Lane footpath level crossing and is the first of its kind to be installed on the railway by Network Rail.
It is made from super-strong fibre-reinforced plastic, a material which is weather resilient and significantly low maintenance.
Mark Cuzner, East West Rail Alliance project director, said: “Building a new railway is extremely exciting and it’s only right that East West Rail uses the latest materials and technology to get the job done.
“Most importantly, replacing Jarvis Lane level crossing with this new footbridge will make crossing the tracks safer for cyclists and pedestrians now, as well as saving money on costly maintenance in the future.
“The opening of this footbridge also reinstates the public right of way over the railway benefitting both local people and businesses in the town.”
The bridge has been opened as part of the East West Rail project – which when completed will connect Bicester to Bletchley and Milton Keynes for the first time in 50 years.
The weatherproof material has never been used by Network Rail for footbridge construction before and it will need much less future maintenance than conventional materials such as steel or concrete.
Both paths leading to the footbridge have also been resurfaced and new footpath signs have been installed.
The bridge also features steel channels at the side of the staircases so bicycles can be walked across instead of carried.
Installation of this footbridge means the pedestrian level crossing at Jarvis Lane is now closed.
This closure is part of Network Rail’s plans to eliminate safety risks by removing level crossings where possible to create a safer railway for the future.
Since 2009, Network Rail has closed over closed over 1,250 level crossings, repositioned over 250 crossing phones into safer areas and fitted LED road traffic lights at more than 500 crossings, significantly improving their brightness.
Overall, the East West Rail intends to create a new direct connection between Oxford and Cambridge.
East West Rail is planned to be delivered in three Connection Stages:
• Connection Stage One: Oxford to Bletchley and Milton Keynes
• Connection Stage Two: Oxford to Bedford
• Connection Stage Three: Oxford to Cambridge
In serving communities across the area, it intends to bring faster journey times and lower transport costs as well as ease pressure on local roads.
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