Work has started to replace the 135 year-old existing London Road bridge, which crosses the main Derby to Birmingham Railway line, with a modern single-span bridge.

London Road will be closed to traffic between Bateman Street and the entrance to the Rail Technical Centre from next week until the end of August 2014 while the bridge is replaced. There will also be no vehicle access from Litchurch Lane onto London Road. Traffic to and from the city centre, including most bus services, will be diverted along the A6 via a signed route through Pride Park.

A temporary footbridge will be built alongside the old bridge to allow pedestrians and cyclists to travel along London Road. Pedestrian and cycle access to the Litchurch Lane junction will be kept open for as long as possible.

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Once built, the weight restriction will be removed and the new bridge will restore a key route into the city, improving links to two of Derby’s flagship regeneration schemes, the new Castleward urban village and Nightingale Quarter.

Derby City Council is working in partnership with Network Rail to carry out this essential work as the existing bridge is in a critical condition and is at risk of being permanently closed to traffic if no action is taken. It has deteriorated to the point where a 7.5 tonne weight limit has had to be enforced as is currently supported by props under the bridge and concrete barriers along the pavement.

The £6.9 million project is expected to last for 12 months due to the challenging and complex nature of this essential project. As the existing bridge crosses the main Derby to Birmingham Railway line, demolition of the existing bridge and erection of the new bridge can only take place at very specific times when no trains are running. There are also significant amounts of utilities that have to be diverted and replaced including a key link in the city's telecommunications network.

(CD/IT)