Railway bridge repaired to reconnect Leicester and Peterborough – after almost three weeks

This morning (23 November), rail passengers can travel between Leicester and Peterborough once again after Network Rail completes almost three weeks of extensive repairs.

Fosters bridge, which sits across the A6121 Stamford Road in Ketton, Rutland, was struck by a lorry on Saturday 5 November, putting the railway line between Leicester and Peterborough out of action.

Since then, engineers have worked around the clock to remove the damaged bridge deck, install a brand-new one and then lay fresh ballast and track over the top so that trains can use the section safely again.

Gary Walsh, East Midlands route director for Network Rail said: “We’re really sorry for the disruption that passengers have faced over the last few weeks. Our teams have worked day and night to remove the damage and install a brand-new deck so that passengers can travel safely again.

“I’d like to thank our partners, passengers and people in the town for their support and patience. It’s been a complex feat of engineering, so I’m pleased to see trains running normally again.”

This section of Stamford Road will not reopen until Friday 25 November once the scaffolding has been removed.

Bridge strikes like these have cost Network Rail – and ultimately the taxpayer – almost £12 million in delay and cancellation fees in 2021/22. To help combat this, a new animation has been released as part of the ‘Wise Up, Size Up’ campaign. It urges drivers to know their route and their vehicle height before every journey.

John Robson Regional Director East Midlands and East Anglia for CrossCountry said: “We are delighted that we are able to run services as normal again following the reopening of Foster’s Bridge and are keen to extend our thanks to the Network Rail team for their efforts in repairing the bridge and the patience of the local community and passengers while this work has been undertaken.”

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