Network Rail held a public meeting tonight (19 January 2010) to discuss the three-month closure of Andover Road. The route will be closed off between 12 April and 12 July to allow contractors to carry out essential work to heighten the railway bridge.
Prospective Winchester MP Steve Brine attended the meeting along with local councillors, representatives of Hampshire County Council and around 100 residents.
A similar scheme is currently closing St Cross Road until 31 March which is part of the Southampton to Nuneaton Freight project. It aims, as part of a wider Government plan, to see a 30% growth in freight over the next 10 years. The £71m project to upgrade the infrastructure will enable larger containers to be transported from the Port of Southampton to the north.
Project essentials …
- The Andover Road bridge will be demolished on 24 April and a temporary foot bridge installed for pedestrians and cyclists.
- The St Cross Tunnel will close the B3335 ‘St Cross Road’ from 4 January to 31 March.
- The Stoke Charity overbridge will also experience works as part of the project with closure of Stoke Charity Road from 6 April to 30 July.
- Disruption to rail services will be experienced throughout the period.
Speaking after the meeting, Steve Brine said; “There is one thing everyone can agree on; these works and especially the closure of Andover Road is going to be a major headache for us all. We must hold Network Rail to their assurance, given at the meeting, that there will be no delay at St Cross which will leave Winchester with major road closures at either side of the city.
"Network Rail clearly has a lot of work to do with residents and must start communicating much better about this project and the implications for those of us who live here.
"I am however, very supportive of the project because it has to be a good thing to get freight of our already congested roads onto the railways but am determined to work with Network Rail and all other parties to make the best of a bad situation.”
More information / have your say …
Network Rail’s national helpline – 08457 11 41 41 or email [email protected]
Download (as a PDF) the short handout given to residents at the public meeting in Winchester on 19 January 2010. Click 'Download' link below.