Bedford road closure extended to complete bridge upgrade

Bromham Road will stay closed until summer 2020 Network Rail has announced.

As there are fewer motorists on the roads in Bedford, the company has announced the continued road closure won't be particularly disruptive for the town.

The extension of the road closure also means there is space to make sure workers are at least two metres apart, in line with Public Health England’s guidelines on social distancing.

Network Rail engineers carried out work to demolish Bromham Road bridge in November 2019 and reconstructed it at a raised height in December. This was to provide a safe distance for the overhead line equipment to pass beneath it, enabling the line between Bedford, Kettering and Corby to be electrified as part of the £1.5billion Midland Main Line Upgrade.

Gavin Crook, principal programme sponsor for Network Rail, said: “We would like to thank people in Bedford for their continued patience whilst this essential work to upgrade Bromham Road bridge is carried out.

“With fewer motorists on the road in Bedford, the road closure can remain in place until the summer without being too disruptive for the community.

“Once the Midland Main Line Upgrade is complete, passengers will benefit from increased capacity and more reliable services.”