THE new footbridge over the railway line between The Cleeve and Pound Mead in Corsham is now open to residents.

The replacement of the historic bridge, carried out earlier this year, was an essential part of Network Rail’s electrification programme, which will enable a new fleet of longer, faster, quieter and greener electric trains to serve commuters in Wiltshire travelling on the route between Cardiff and London.

The new bridge is higher, creating the additional space needed for the overhead lines which will power the new trains to run underneath.

In March, a team from the rail company worked throughout the night using a 500-tonne crane to lift the new bridge over a block of flats and into position. Since then the project team has been working on diverting utility services and connecting the existing road to the new bridge.

Andy Haynes, Network Rail’s west of England project director, said: “We were very aware that the temporary closure of this bridge could inconvenience residents, which is why my team worked hard to complete the work in as short a timeframe as possible.

“I would like to thank the local community for their patience and support while we undertook the significant work needed to prepare this bridge for the electrification of the railway. Now it is complete, we are another step closer to bringing the benefits of electrification and the new electric trains to Wiltshire.”