A £250 million upgrade programme has been completed by Network Rail in Staffordshire.

A new section of track and a key rail-over-rail flyover opened to trains at Norton Bridge near Stafford on Tuesday, 29 March.

The works alleviates one of the last major bottlenecks on the West Coast Main Line by allowing trains to travel above the existing tracks.


The scheme, delivered 18 months early, is part of Network Rail's £40 billion Railway Upgrade Plan.

Over 200 engineering trains were used to deliver materials to site, removing 5,200 lorry journeys from the local road network.

More than 4,000 workers took part on the project, diverting four rivers and building 11 new structures.

Sir Peter Hendy, Network Rail's Chairman, said: "The opening of the new flyover and railway in the Norton Bridge area marks the culmination of four years’ work which will help provide passengers with a more reliable and better performing railway through the Stafford area on the West Coast Main Line, one of the busiest rail routes in Europe."

(LM)