Vicars Bridge, Preston
Overview
The site is located in a conservation area in Preston City centre adjacent to Preston Railway Station and Fishergate Centre Car Park, linking the new Park Hotel, Probation Service and local businesses and carries East Cliff over the southern boundary of a car park, owned by Network Rail and operated by Avanti/Virgin Trains.
The existing bridge was a bailey bridge construction, located within the confines of the former Vicars Bridge and utilises two existing masonry abutments.
This is a two span continuous bridge built upon existing abutment pier and foundations over the Network Rail owned car park. The new bridge structure carries a 5m wide single carriageway with a single footpath along the North West side of the road to match the width of the exiting footway towards East Cliff.
Works comprised of the removal of the existing bridge structure and the construction of a new replacement Vicars Bridge. Service cables attached to the existing bridge and car park were diverted and re-routed. A new cycle route was constructed to join the existing cycle route to the south of the bridge structure.
Key Challenges
- Co-ordinating statutory undertakers
- Limited client budget
- Unknown condition of existing bridge
- Managing working at height and protecting the public from risk whilst bridge was being removed
- Confined working area
- Project staff liaised closely with local businesses and especially the Probation Service to understand their needs
Managing interface with Network Rail/Virgin (Station Management)
Added Value
- Supported client team to negotiate legal agreements with Network Rail
- EWCE experience with working with Network Rail on Asset Protection Agreement projects provided valuable support to complete transfers of assets to the Client
- For the transfer agreement EWCE produced detailed drawings and logistic plans at no additional cost to the client
- Timbers from the removal of the existing bridge were donated to the Probation Service, Edith Rigby House for use in art works projects
- 80% of recycled stone from abutments was used to clad the central pier
- Placement provided for student Krishnan Patel during the summer