Media centre

Monday 23 Oct 2017

Kerse Road bridge works will improve City transport networks

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Network Rail has confirmed the work programme and associated road closure dates for the demolition and reconstruction of the bridge over the railway at Kerse Road, Stirling.

The A905 Kerse Road will close for six months from April until the end of October 2018 while engineers demolish and replace the road bridge over the railway to the south of Stirling station. The new structure will deliver a significant increase in the width of the carriageway offering the potential for the council to add a third lane in the future to meet Stirling’s growing traffic needs.

The bridge work is part of a wider programme of improvements on the Stirling line ahead of the electrification of the route as part of a Scottish Government investment being delivered by Network Rail. Electrification of central Scotland’s rail network will reduce journey times to Glasgow and Edinburgh, increase capacity on peak services and provide longer, greener trains.

While work on Kerse Road is required now to enable the forthcoming electrification of the line, the new bridge has enabled Network Rail to work with Stirling Council to create the potential to enhance the local road network in line with the City’s transport strategy. It also avoids the need for the council to undertake significant maintenance on the bridge in the next few years with the new structure having a lifespan in excess of 100 years.  

Ahead of the main six month road closure, there will be a period of single lane working between January and April 2018 to allow for the diversion of utilities; water, electricity, gas, broadband etc onto a temporary structure ahead of the bridge demolition.

Work on the bridge will begin with two overnight road closures on Saturday 12^th and 19^th November to enable the installation of the temporary bridge that will maintain pedestrian/cycle access throughout.

Iain McFarlane, Network Rail’s Route Delivery Director for the Stirling-Dunblane-Alloa (SDA) Electrification project, said: “We know Kerse Road is a critical link in Stirling’s road network, and we do not take the decision to request its closure lightly.

“We understand the impact that this potentially will have for both road users, businesses and those communities adjacent to the proposed diversion route. However, this is the best way to minimise the overall disruption that this unavoidable work will have on the local community.

“Delivering this work in a six month closure is a huge logistical challenge, but we have planned carefully with our contractor, Morgan Sindall, and have every confidence in the project team’s ability to complete this work with the minimum possible inconvenience.”

Network Rail has worked with Stirling Council to put in place an ‘all-vehicle’ diversion appropriate for the volumes of traffic expected during the closure of Kerse Road.

In addition to the diversion route, a number of measures are being discussed with Stirling Council to help mitigate the impact of the closure. These include traffic light alterations, road marking alterations, speed activated signage and pedestrian crossings.