NETWORK Rail CEO Andrew Haines paid a visit on February 10 to the work taking place at Bletchley to mark the first anniversary of the East West Rail Transport &Works Order being signed –and with it the process of demolition and rebuilding of the flyover for the East West Rail project.
With Mr Haines was route director Tim Shoveller, who were shown around the main worksite by Mark Cuznor, the overall EWR project director, and Bletchley area project director Jeff Booth.
Two years ago, it was announced the flyover would be refurbished and its deck raised, but the inquiry into the Italian Morandi bridge collapse in Genoa identified potential risk, so the plan was revised to replace spans 17 to 29 inclusive, over or alongside the West Coast Main Line (WCML).
The flyover was identified as the key component in the EWR project infrastructure while also potentially carrying the most risk in terms of disruption to the existing railway given the WCML’s proximity.