Tuesday 29 December 2020

New Southall Bridge

 

On Christmas Day, a giant crane lifted a new foot and cycle bridge into position just east of Southall Station. The 66 metre-long bridge, over the Great Western Railway, will connect Merrick Road to Park Avenue to form part of a new north-south cycle route. It could only be installed on Christmas Day as it required a day when no trains were running. Workers still have to install the stairs, which is expected to take until April. The bridge will have no ramps that you can cycle up, and initially will have no lifts. Instead cyclists will have to push their bikes up wheeling ramps on either side of the stairs. Ealing Cycling Campaign pushed for the design to include ramps, but the planners said there wasn't enough space. The original design only included a single wheeling ramp on one side of the stairs, but after feedback from Ealing Cycling Campaign, the designers have included two - one on each side. Most people push cycles from the left side of the bike, so this will make it easier. It also makes it possible for someone to wheel a bicycle down at the same time as someone is pushing one up. The council has decided not to include lifts when it first opens as the remote location will leave them susceptible to vandalism. However, the bridge is designed so that lifts can be retro-fitted once the area is developed. 



Ealing Council's plans for the Bridge