The Upgrade is transforming journeys across the North by better connecting towns and cities with more frequent, faster, greener trains, running on a better, cleaner and more reliable railway between York, Leeds and Manchester.
The replacement of the bridge deck will also enable us to carry out work to address corrosion on the bridge and cracks in the masonry on the abutments.
What will we be doing?
Two large Self-Propelled Modular Transport (SPMT) vehicles will be used to remove the existing bridge, transport the new bridge from a compound on the Neville Hill depot site via Neville Garth and Osmondthorpe Lane, and install it in position.
An example of an SPMT is shown here:
The use of these SPMTs helps to minimise bridge removal and construction time, reducing the risks from bad weather and shortening the amount of road and railway closure time needed, which reduces the impacts on the local community and rail passengers.
When will work be taking place?
| The main bridge replacement works will be undertaken between 24 and 29 December. |
During the week before and after Christmas, areas of Osmondthorpe Lane and Neville Close will be closed to allow us to carry out essential preparation and final completion work – see the map below for details.
The Neville Close car park will be closed for a week from 22:00 on 23 December and 06:00 on 30 December 2024 to enable the SPMTs access to the compound. We have been liaising with Leeds City Council officers on both these closures.
While the SPMTs are moving the old bridge out and the new bridge into place, vehicle and pedestrian access to Neville Close and Neville Approach will be marshalled, but access will be maintained. Vehicles will not be able to park within the SPMT route until both SPMTs have passed and all protection has been removed.
How will we manage the impact on our neighbours?
On 7 May 2024 we held a successful invitation event at the Osmondthorpe Children’s Centre, where the community could find out more about the work from our Project Team.
We will be holding a similar community information event in November 2024 before the main work starts.
During the main period between 24 and 29 December, certain works will be taking place 24 hours a day. However, we will work to minimise disruption to residents as much as possible.
Some construction work, involving delivery wagons, excavators, cranes, compaction equipment, drilling and cutting equipment will also take place in the run-up to the bridge replacement. Access will be blocked under Osmondthorpe Lane bridge on a number of nights and diversionary routes will be provided for vehicles and pedestrians during these times – dates will be publicised in advance nearer the time.
October 2024:
In order to make room for us to transport the new and old bridges in and out of Neville Garth, it will be necessary for some telephone and telecommunications cables, telegraph poles and street furniture in the area around Neville Close to be temporarily removed or repositioned during October.
BT Openreach and City Fibre will contact you directly if services to your property will be temporarily affected – any disruption to communications will only be for a very short amount of time.
December 2024:
During December, a CCTV column and some streetlights, road signs and traffic lights on Neville Garth and Osmondthorpe Lane will also be temporarily removed. They will be re-instated once work is complete and temporary lighting will be installed in the interim.
During the works dedicated track machines will be used, such as dozers, tampers and demolition machinery. The SPMTs travel at walking pace, so noise disruption will be minimal during their movements.
Lighting towers and construction machinery lighting will be used but positioned so as not to create any light pollution.
