Roads reopened following bridge upgrade work in the West Country

Network Rail has completed the significant refurbishments of two railway bridges in Somerset and Wiltshire, with local roads now reopened. 

Improvement work to bridges in Langport and Limpley Stoke has been successfully completed to ensure trains can continue to travel safely through the region.

The work has seen extra steelwork installed to strengthen the structures and improve reliability for rail passengers for the future. The bridges were also grit-blasted, cleaned and given a new coat of paint.

Langport bridge in Somerset carries the railway from Castle Cary to Taunton over the A378. The road is now open again to traffic with three-way traffic lights in place at night. Follow-up work takes place on Saturday 13, Sunday 14, Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 September when a full road closure and diversion will back be in place.

The bridge at Limpley Stoke, Wiltshire, provides a route for trains travelling between Bath and Bradford-on-Avon above the B3108. Traffic can travel under the bridge once more, with local buses restored to their usual timetables.

Network Rail principal portfolio manager Dan Parkes said:

“We’re grateful to the communities of Langport, Limpley Stoke and Winsley for their patience as these two bridges were renovated.“We’ve been hard at work for several months in the West, making sure all the bridges in the region are fit for a modern railway.”