VIADUCT IS VIADOWN

A disused viaduct, which spanned the River Ouse near St Ives, has been removed ready for a new bridge to be built to carry thousands of passengers on the Cambridge Guided Busway.
A crane capable of lifting 1,000 tonnes carefully removed the two spans, which weighed over 100 tonnes each and were made from wrought iron.

The work is part of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Guided Busway project, which will provide high quality, reliable and frequent public transport between St Ives and Cambridge as well as a new bridleway along the route of the old railway line.

The new bridge will not only carry two lanes for the Guided Busway but also a maintenance track which can be used as a bridleway for horseriders, cyclists and walkers.

Work on the new bridge is expected to take around a year to complete. The old railway viaduct crossed the River Ouse between St Ives and the lakes area.

Bob Menzies, Head of Delivery for the Guided Busway said: “Once finished the Guided Busway will provide a major public transport link and this new bridge will also encourage more people to get out and enjoy the local countryside either by walking, cycling or on horseback. Due to the condition of the old viaduct the spans had to be removed to make way for a stronger and wider bridge. The removal of these 100 tonne spans took careful coordination and now we can start the work to replace them. We would like to remind people that this is a building site and so there will be no public access until we open the whole of the Guided Busway in Spring 2009.”
ENDS

Notes for Editors:

For more information please contact Bob Menzies, Head of Delivery for the Guided Busway on 01223 717866.

Photo available: Contact Mark Miller on 01223 717915 or e-mail mark.miller@cambridgeshire.gov.uk

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