City rail bridge to be replaced in £100m scheme

Southampton City Council wants to replace the single-lane Northam Rail Bridge

A city council has proposed building two new replacements for a 117-year-old road bridge in Southampton.

The authority wants to remove the single-lane Northam Rail Bridge, which currently carries the A3024 and is nearing the end of its operational life.

It said the £100m project would resolve ongoing maintenance challenges and improve connections in the city.

Christie Lambert, deputy council leader and member responsible for transport, called on the public to share their views.

The plan would see three years of construction, with hopes for completion by winter 2030.

The bridge is a key route in and out of the east side of the city centre, but creates a bottleneck at peak times, with two lanes of traffic in each direction merging to go over the railway line.

The council has proposed a new bridge be built to the north of the current one, while the existing road remains in use.

Traffic would then switch to the new bridge to allow the ageing structure to be removed and replaced.

Once both new bridges are installed, the northern one could carry two lanes of eastbound traffic, while the southern one could include two lanes of westbound traffic and a dedicated bus lane.

The plans include segregated paths for pedestrians and cyclists, alongside improvements to the Brinton's Road and Britannia Road junctions.

Ms Lambert said: "This project will not only address long-standing maintenance issues but also create new opportunities for growth and development.

"We are committed to working closely with the community to make this vision a reality and urge everyone to get involved, share their views, and help us secure government support."

The plan would see three years of construction, with hopes for completion by winter 2030

The plan aims to ensure vehicles can continue to travel on the route throughout construction.

The local authority has launched an online survey for views to be shared and to strengthen the case for funding.

A series of engagement events have been organised this month to see details about the project, ask questions and provide feedback.

The council is looking to submit its outline business case for funding to the Department for Transport (DfT) in spring 2026, with a planning application to and any refinements to the business case to follow.

A decision from DfT ministers would be expected in 2027.