Friday 9 Feb 2018

TfL Press Release - Contractor appointed to replace Blackhorse Lane and Addiscombe Park bridges

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Morgan Sindall will commence work in summer 2018
Joint project to replace two bridges will deliver cost and time savings
Addiscombe Park footbridge will incorporate new cycle lane

Plans to replace two bridges in Croydon progressed today as Transport for London (TfL), in partnership with the London Borough of Croydon, appointed Morgan Sindall as the preferred contractor to deliver the projects. Work on the 120 year old Blackhorse Lane Bridge and nearby Addiscombe Park Bridge is expected to be completed by January next year.

The decision to replace both bridges as a joint project was made following discussions with the London Borough of Croydon. It was agreed that replacing both bridges together would help to deliver considerable cost and time savings for both TfL and the local council. The plans include making Addiscombe Park bridge two metres wider in order to incorporate a cycle path and improve facilities for cyclists and other local people.

Construction of both bridges will start this summer, with both re-opening to the public in January 2019. London Trams will continue to operate during the majority of this period but may need to close for short periods during construction for safety reasons. Pedestrian and cycling access will be maintained, although Blackhorse Lane Bridge will need to be closed to all users for a short period when the bridge deck is removed and replaced.

Rory O’Neill, General Manager for London Trams, said: “The appointment of Morgan Sindall as the preferred contractor is an important step in replacing this 120 year old bridge which is reaching the end of its natural life. Working closely with the London Borough of Croydon has meant that we can replace both Blackhorse Lane and Addiscombe Park bridges as a joint project, helping us construct them both quicker and more cheaply. We look forward to both bridges being open to the public in January 2019.”

Councillor Stuart King, Croydon Council’s cabinet member for transport and environment, said: “These are essential works that will bring better, wider and safer bridges to serve local residents and the borough’s visitors for decades to come. TfL and Croydon Council are working as hard as possible on this complex project to get the job done as quickly as possible. We will continue to keep local residents and businesses informed throughout the process.”

Contact Information

TfL Press Office
Transport for London
0343 222 4141
pressoffice@tfl.gov.uk

Notes to editors

Details of future planned tram closures for this work will be communicated to customers once finalised.
Blackhorse Road Bridge was previously maintained by Network Rail and transferred to TfL ownership in 2013. At that time the bridge already had a 3 tonne weight limit and, following regular structural surveys by TfL, it was decided that this weight restriction needed to be reduced further. Traffic weight restriction measures were put in place but the new limit was breached regularly. The decision was therefore taken to close the bridge to traffic and then to replace it.
Ahead of the contractor being appointed, a significant amount of preparatory work has taken place. This includes identifying funding for both bridge replacements as well as complex design work.
Discussions with utility companies have also taken place on possible diversions for the major utilities which currently pass over the tramway via the Blackhorse Lane Bridge.
Morgan Sindall is a UK construction and infrastructure business with a network of local offices. The company works for private and public sector customers on projects and frameworks from £50,000 to over £1 billion. Activities range from small works and repair and maintenance, to the design and delivery of complex construction and engineering projects where it is able to provide specialist design, tunnelling, utilities, building, civil engineering and mechanical and electrical services. The company operates across the commercial, defence, education, energy, healthcare, industrial, leisure, retail, transport and water markets. Morgan Sindall is part of Morgan Sindall Group plc, a leading UK construction and regeneration group with revenue of c£2.6 billion and which operates through six divisions of Construction & Infrastructure, Fit Out, Property Services, Partnership Housing, Urban Regeneration and Investments.

Construction timeline:

Detailed design period Jan - Jun 2018
Site investigations Jan - March 2018
Utility diverting and planning Jan - Aug 2018
Enabling works May-Jul 2018
Main construction works Jun - Dec 2018
Completion of road / footway Jan 2019