Network Rail defends bridge works

4:28pm Wednesday 24th March 2010

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NETWORK Rail has been fending off criticism about its bridge works in Winchester that are set to cause chronic disruption from next month.

The authority is to demolish and rebuild the bridge over Andover Road to allow it to run bigger freight trains on the line below.

The closure of St Cross Road has caused serious disruption in south Winchester and fears that the shutdown on Andover Road due on April 12 will be worse.

At Andover Road only a temporary footbridge will be installed and no measures for vehicles.

Pieter Lette, local architect, in a letter to the Chronicle, said: “Network Rail is on a course of disruption which suits only its programmes and its priorities. The populations of this city and its districts can just chew on it.”

In a statement Network Rail said it was not feasible to lower the track instead of rebuilding the bridge as the site is too close to the station and the ground conditions are not suitable.

Also unfeasible was erecting a temporary road structure as it would have failed road safety demands.

A spokesman said the controversial chopping down of trees was done to create a work site and was agreed with the “relevant land owners and Winchester City Council‘s tree officers. We will be re-instating the sites once the works are complete as agreed directly with the people who own the land. We have not broken any promises we made to Osborne school.”

Network Rail is liable to pay compensation to disrupted local businesses under the Railway Clauses Consolidation Act of 1845 but the forfeit is fixed at the 1845 price of £20 a day.

Cllr Mel Kendal, executive member for environment at the county council, said: “Inflation could not be applied unless the Act in question provided for this, which it does not.

“It would clearly not be practical to provide a substitute road through this part of Winchester; but I know that Network Rail is incurring significant costs in mitigating the effects of their work, and it is appropriate that they should bear these costs given that it is a Network Rail project.”

Cllr Kendal said the least disruptive diversion route was Harestock Road. Traffic travelling south on the A34 will be directed to remain on the A34 and to use other junctions to enter Winchester.

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Your Say YourHampshire

Shoong, Winchester says…
2:56pm Thu 25 Mar 10

It’s got to be done – so we’ll just have to man up & deal with it.

Martt, Winchester says…
6:04pm Fri 26 Mar 10

It’s well known (I think!) that Garnier Road is getting heavy use during the St Cross Road closure. This morning at 08:20 (peak of the rush hour, mind!) I was astonished to find Garnier Road virtually blocked by Clancy Docwra employees, who were blithely filling in potholes. They were at the western end of Garnier Road, and the entire 3/4 mile back to the disused railway bridge was filled with fuming cars! I was OK – I was driving east – but it looked as if the blocked cars were in for a very long wait indeed. Don’t the people who direct the pothole fillers know about the St Cross Road closure? Can’t pothole filling wait until next week, when St Cross Road supposedly reopens and Garnier Road reverts to being a quiet country lane?

Winchester Bantams, Winchester says…
12:32pm Thu 1 Apr 10

We received a joint flyer from Winchester City Council and Hampshire County Council yesterday regarding the closure of Andover Road on 12 April detailing their plans for the affected roads. I live off Park Road, a road that not only undoubtedly will be affected by this, but has a dangerous blind single track bridge over the railway line so was quite keen to read of their intentions.This flyer states for Park Road ‘A range of measures is being considered, up to and including road closure, with access only for residents only’!!!! What does this mean for the residents? That they acknowledge there will be a problem, but they don’t know how bad it will be so they will suck it an see? They think that they should close the road, but do not want to take the flak for doing so? They want to consult with the residents first? bearing in mind the problem is only 12 days away I think the experts should have a firm solution to be implemented at the outset and be advising the residents accordingly. Their statement is effectively meaningless to Park Road residents. With regards to the dangerous bridge Hampshire Council has collected many tens of thousand pounds from developers on Park Road dating back over 5 years in order to install traffic lights on this bridge. When is this going to happen or does this need an incident to prompt identification of who is culpable and for the the necessary action to be taken?

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Network Rail defends bridge works (From Hampshire Chronicle)