The road will remain open to pedestrians throughout the work, including the station access road until the last train on Friday evening. Nearby Huddersfield Road and Saville Road can be used as diversionary routes for vehicles.
Fall Lane and Thornhill Road, which are both currently shut for utilities work until June, will reopen temporarily for this weekend to ease congestion.
The closure will allow TRU engineers to install several pre-cast concrete beams to form the deck of a new bridge on Calder Road, which will become operational in 2026.
With additional railway lines planned to be installed through the station as part of TRU, the bridge will ultimately align with this new track and a new road layout on Calder Road. This will enable the fast and slow lines of track to be separated and make journeys faster and more reliable for passengers.
A total of 20 pre-cast concrete beams are being installed as part of the work, 18 of which will weigh 28 tonnes, with the remaining two beams weighing 78 tonnes each.
Work has been taking place over recent months to construct the abutments and wing walls of the new bridge, before the concrete beams are installed over the May weekend.
Whilst the construction of the new bridge is a key project, it’s only a small part of the wider TRU upgrades taking place in the area – Ravensthorpe triangle – home to one of the biggest civil engineering site in the country.
TRU is building an entirely new station in Ravensthorpe, 200m away from its current position, which will have step-free access and a footbridge with lifts, a new forecourt area and drop-off facilities.
The station’s move to an island platform will also allow for longer trains with more seats to stop in Ravensthorpe, whilst a new viaduct and fly-over will enable faster trains to overtake slower ones.
Andrew Campbell, Sponsor for TRU, said:
“We appreciate there is no ideal time to close a road, so would like to thank the local community in advance for their patience as we complete vital work that will support better rail travel throughout the area and beyond.
“Advance warning signage will be in place on roads, along with signposted diversion routes with clear directions of alternative routes to take, whilst road users can also visit roadworks.org for further details.”
