The final link in the Blackpath Footbridge near to Rugby Station, Warwickshire was lifted into place by Danaher and Walsh of Leicester using a 500 tonne crane recently.

Designed by Warwickshire County Council and built by Northallerton based Allerton Bridges Ltd, the footbridge is 42 metres long, 3.1 metres wide and 4.8 metres high. It had to be built in three sections so it could be transported to the site at Woodside Business Park, close to Rugby's railway station.

The new footbridge replaces the previously well-used Victorian Blackpath Lattice Bridge which was located above the main access road into the industrial estate. Warwickshire County Council commissioned Danaher and Walsh to upgrade the southern access to the footbridge. It was funded through the County Council’s Local Transport Plan, which aims to improve accessibility and safety.

-- Advertisement --

Danaher and Walsh started work on the third and final phase of the Blackpath Improvement Project in November 2008. The improvements have seen the replacement of the steps on the southern side of the footbridge with a ramp, which will form part of the future Sustrans Connect 2 project to open up the Leicester Road viaduct as a cycle route.

Steve Fisher, Danaher and Walsh's Senior Site Agent, was pleased with how smoothly the installation of the final section of the bridge went. He said: "The final link of Blackpath Footbridge took just 45 minutes from lifting to final positioning, causing minimal disruption to the West Coast Mainline Railway.

The improvements to the bridge structure will make it more accessible for pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair users, leading to overall improved safety."