£3.2m restoration of historic Leeds railway bridge 'progressing well' as new bridge structure installed
Work on the £3.2 million investment has been underway since May
Restoration works to a historic railway bridge in Leeds are “progressing well,” according to Network Rail.
Works to strengthen and partially rebuild the 132-year-old Pepper Road Bridge in Hunslet has been underway since May.
Aimed at maintaining its safe and reliable use by trains and motorists, work on the £3.2 million investment has been taking place during midweek days and weekend nights to minimise disruption to rail passengers.
Speaking this week, Network Rail confirmed that the restoration works are on schedule to be completed as planned by the end of next month (November 2026).
A spokesperson said: “Work to replace Pepper Road bridge in Hunslet is progressing well and remains on track. Engineers have removed the old bridge deck and beams and installed the new bridge structure. The next key milestone is the installation of the bridge parapets, which will complete the pre-cast installation stage.
“The project is currently on programme, with completion scheduled for November 27 and the road expected to reopen the following day.”
Engineers will soon begin work to complete the bridge deck, waterproofing, surfacing and road reinstatement works. The bridge will remain closed until the project is completed.
Once completed, it is hoped that the strengthened bridge will be able to continue carrying road traffic over the railway safely and will mean reduced maintenance costs.
The original bridge - built in around 1840 - was around half the size of the current structure. It was extended between 1888 and 1891 to create the four-arch bridge seen today.