Work starts this week, on the installation of the new pedestrian and cycle bridges across the railway line on Glenferness Avenue in Bournemouth.

Two four-metre-wide, 31-metre-long prefabricated bridges will arrive on site ready to be lifted into position over the railway line. The start of the installation of the bridges and removal of the existing pedestrian bridge is programmed to take place during a 26-hour window from Sunday 1 October to Monday 2 October. The first new bridge will be lifted into position on the west side of the road bridge by crane and placed onto the pre-cast concrete foundations. This will be followed by the removal and recycling of the existing footbridge. The installation of the new bridge on the east side of the road bridge will complete the process.

The installation work will be overseen by a project team from BCP Council, supporting contractors and Network Rail.

The new bridges, funded through south east Dorset’s Transforming Cities Fund, will give people a separate, safe, traffic free space to walk, wheel and cycle across the railway line. They form a crucial part of a sustainable travel route between Bournemouth town centre and Talbot Woods, Winton and Wallisdown and future plans for the route all the way out to Ferndown.

Following the bridge installation work, bridge ramps and stepped cycle lanes will be constructed on Glenferness Avenue between Elgin Road and Alyth Road. This work is anticipated to complete by December.

Improvements will also be made to the junction with East Avenue, and a new toucan crossing will be installed on Glenferness Avenue just north of East Avenue. This is due to compete by the end of February 2024.

The road bridge itself will remain unaltered but will remain closed to all motorised traffic until December to enable the work to be carried out safely. The diversion route via East Avenue and Elgin Road is currently in place and signposted. Access will be maintained for people walking, wheeling and cycling for the duration of the work, except during the bridge installations.

Cllr Andy Hadley, portfolio holder for climate response, environment and energy at BCP Council said: “Installing these bridges is a significant piece of engineering work. They will fix a longstanding barrier to local journeys for people walking, cycling and wheeling across the railway line on Glenferness Avenue, providing a completely separate and safe route away from the busy, narrow road bridge on both sides of the road. I look forward to the project completing and people being able to walk, wheel or cycle across the new bridges on their way to work, school or leisure destinations. It’s all part of our ongoing commitment to reducing road congestion and enabling active, sustainable travel.”