DEMOLITION PLAN FOR DISUSED TOWN BRIDGE
MOVE TO REDUCE CRASHES AND TRAFFIC CONGESTION
A LORRY-BATTERED railway bridge in Nuneaton could be demolished.
The disused bridge in Hinckley Road has, over many years, been hit by numerous trucks, causing long delays for other motorists in the area.
Warwickshire County Council wants to demolish the bridge as part of a package of measures it has lined up for the whole of the A47 Hinckley Road corridor.
It is proposing to bid for funds from the Department of Transport’s National Productivity Investment Fund to pay for the works, which Shire Hall officers say will “address congestion between The Long Shoot and Nuneaton town centre by delivering improved highway capac- ity and sustainable transport infrastructure”.
Due to the increasing number of housing developments in the area, the local authority says the proposed improvements will help with the “connectivity between the A5 and the town centre”. Among the proposals are:
Traffic lights at the junction of Hinckley Road and Higham Lane to increase capacity and provide improved facilities for pedestrians and cyclists.
Demolition of the disused rail bridge to increase highway capacity on the approach to Higham Lane and eradicate bridge strikes.
Traffic lights at the junction of Hinckley Road and Eastboro Way.
There are also plans to dual the northern section of Eastboro Way.
A report will go to the county council’s cabinet member for transport, and in it it states: “The scheme is currently estimated to cost £6million and it is proposed to bid for the majority of this cost from the National Productivity Investment Fund.
“Further funding is expected to be available from S106 and S278 developer contributions and it is anticipated that Highways England, custodians of the disused railway bridge, will contribute to the bridge demolition costs. A bid will be made to the Capital Investment Fund for any remaining project costs.”
If the scheme is approved, the county will look to make a bid for the funds by the deadline of June 30. If successful, the works would take place between 2018/19 and 2019/20 subject to other funding streams being found.