‘Structurally substandard’ Wakefield railway bridge to be replaced over Christmas period
Its main steel girders have been described structurally substandard
A railway bridge in Wakefield is set to be demolished and replaced over the Christmas period.
Network Rail is investing £5 million to replace the railway bridge over Agbrigg Road in Wakefield with a more reliable structure designed to serve passengers and freight for well over a century.
The major project will see the existing bridge, which carries the railway over Agbrigg Road on a vital route between Doncaster and Leeds, demolished and replaced with a completely new structure during the Christmas period.
Its main steel girders have been described structurally substandard and a weight restriction and close monitoring are currently in place.
Sean Ellerby, Network Rail portfolio manager, said: “We’re sorry to residents who will be impacted by this vital work over the festive period.
“Christmas provides a unique opportunity for our teams to access the track and complete the work in a much shorter time than would otherwise be possible.
“We’re investing almost £5 million on the new bridge to help us maintain a safe, reliable railway and avoid future disruption. We’d like to thank residents and road users for their patience while this work takes place.”
The replacement is designed to last 120 years and should allow for existing measures to be removed. It is also intended to better withstand collisions from road vehicles - helping to reduce the risk of disruption to both the railway and on Agbrigg Road.
Preparatory work is under way and the new bridge will be constructed in advance of installation at the work compound near the station. The main bridge replacement activity will take place while no trains are running, from the early hours of Christmas Eve to 8am on Sunday 27 December.
Engineers will remove the railway tracks and ballast above the bridge before a 50-tonne demolition excavator is used to remove the old structure. The replacement bridge deck will arrive in two sections, before engineers install waterproofing and drainage and reinstate the railway on top.
For road users, temporary traffic lights will be in place from November 8, with Saturday night road closures taking place from November 14. Agbrigg Road will be closed fully around the Christmas bridge replacement, with a signed vehicle diversion agreed with Wakefield City Council.
Some parking spaces will also be temporarily suspended when road closures are in place to allow the safe operation of traffic management and access for large construction vehicles. The wider construction programme will run until February 2027.