Network Rail is advising road users who travel in the vicinity of Bristol Parkway Station to plan ahead as the Hatchet Road bridge is shut overnight for four consecutive Saturdays from this weekend (17th June) to allow crucial upgrade work to take place.
The bridge needs to be closed to allow Network Rail’s ‘orange army’ to prepare the track for the arrival of new Intercity Express Trains (IET) which arrive later this year.
The new IET trains will provide more seats per train, greater comfort, be more reliable as well as having improved wifi and at-seat power sockets.
Ahead of the new trains entering service, Network Rail needs to install the foundations for overhead line equipment used for electrification, repair the bridge arch and lay sections of new track.
To allow the upgrade to take place, the road which runs under the bridge will be closed on Saturday nights from 11pm to 7am on 17th and 24th June and 1st and 8th July.
Mark Morrison, project manager for Network Rail said:
“This crucial upgrade forms part of our Railway Upgrade Plan and is essential in delivering passenger benefits as quickly as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the work to road users and also to residents nearby as it may be noisy.”
A signed diversion route will be in place throughout the road closures and pedestrians will still be able to walk underneath the bridge.
Bus service route diversions
Services 19 & 73 towards Cribbs Causeway will serve New Road and SGS Campus and then to divert via Fox Dean Road, Great Stoke Way, Filton Road, A4174 Ring Road, Old Gloucester Road, Winterbourne Road and Hatchet Road to serve Bristol Parkway Railway Station then resume normal route.
From Cribbs Causeway, Services 19 & 73 will follow normal route to Bristol Parkway Railway Station, then to divert via Hatchet Road, Winterbourne Road, Old Gloucester Road, A4174 Ring Road, Filton Road and Great Stoke Way and then serve New Road and SGS Campus before resuming normal route.
Noisy !!!! at 3am last night – saturday night we were kept awake in the early hours ! as it was extremely hot there was no option to close the windows ! this has been going on at weekends for several weeks now ! and with very VERY little communication !! double time then for the workers???? god sake ! we work during the week and now we have to have rubbish sleep over the weekend! GRRRR v disgruntled oh yes – and how do we complain too exactly !!!!???
Network Rail say: “If you have any additional questions or concerns about the work taking place in your area please call our dedicated 24-hour National Helpline on: 03457 11 41 41, quoting reference Great Western Route Modernisation.”
If you aren’t happy with the response from Network Rail, you could try contacting your local councillor or MP: writetothem.com