South Gloucestershire Council has commissioned Network Rail to investigate ways of improving the passage of vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians under two railway bridges on major routes through Stoke Gifford.
In 2010, the Parkway and Gipsy Patch Lane bridges were the subject of a feasibility study by Mouchel, which investigated various options for improving the safe movement of pedestrians and cyclists.
The recommended option at both locations was a concrete box subway, which whilst not necessarily having the lowest cost, would provide for the safe passage of pedestrians and cyclists under the railway embankments, having minimal disruption to road, rail and pedestrian users currently using the existing structures.
A report presented to a recent meeting of the council’s Planning, Transportation & Strategic Environment Major Schemes Sub-Committee, describes how the “adverse impact of the constraints on users passing underneath the railway at the two bridges has increased over recent decades as demand has increased due to the development of surrounding areas”.
The report adds that there are regular instances of vehicle-strike at the Gipsy Patch Lane bridge, necessitating emergency inspections and causing disruption to both rail and road users.
Upgrading of the two bridges is included within the North Fringe Package of transport improvements that forms part of the council’s recently-adopted Core Strategy, a long-term planning blueprint for the district covering the period up to 2027. The council’s capital programme includes provision of £200k in 2013/4/5 for the project, beyond which further funding sources will need to be found.
Councillors agreed to commission Network Rail to undertake the first three phases of the rail industry’s standard eight phase project delivery process, which will:
- Define the outcomes required;
- Define the scope of investment, identify constraints, determine strategic fit and value for money/affordability; and
- Develop options and select the most appropriate option.
Photo: Gipsy Patch Lane railway bridge.
More info: Report to the PTSE Major Schemes Sub-Committee [PDF]
Great news. The bridge near Parkway isn’t safe for cyclists, cars and pedestrians to use together and contributes to the awful congestion in the area. Anything that can be done to improve it is good.
Gypsy Patch has been hammered since the closure of Highwood in Patchway. It’s far too busy for a single carriage road and also with the extra houses planned on the old runway something will need to change. Wider footpaths (although great) is only a short term solution so we need to be planning further ahead instead of spending money on something that may have to change again in 5 years it so.
Sorry Mark I don’t think the road being closed has anything to do with the problems at this bridge these problems were happening a long time before that