Bridge reopens after months of 17-mile diversions

The bridge reopened on the morning of May 1

A 17-mile diversion route set up so work to replace a bridge could be carried out has been lifted.

Nazeing New Road beside Broxbourne railway station in Hertfordshire closed on 3 January and reopened on 1 May.

The "vital" work was needed "for the future safe and reliable running of the line", Network Rail added.

Kate Snowdon, head of communications, previously admitted the work would be "disruptive".

Network Rail said the bridge's steelwork has been repaired and repainted

The diversion route sent motorists through Hoddesdon, Harlow and Nazeing, in Essex, via the A414.

The bridge sits over the main line between London, Hertfordshire, Essex and Cambridgeshire.

The old bridge was lifted away as it had "reached the end of its useful life" and a new structure was put in place, Network Rail said.

Parts of the structure which were not fully replaced were strengthened and the road was resurfaced.

It should last for 120 years, the company hopes.

One of the last jobs was to resurface the road, Network Rail said

Simon Milburn, Network Rail Anglia’s infrastructure director, said the bridge "will serve Broxbourne and the railway for many decades to come".

It was "vital for the future safe and reliable running of the line".

Liam Maw, from contractors, J. Murphy & Sons, said: "A great team effort went into the planning of this complex project, alongside liaising with the local community to minimise disruption."

The work to replace the bridge took four months