More funding needed for £180m rail bridge project

Kennington rail bridge is part of the A423 and is used by around 50,000 vehicles a day

A county council has asked the government to help fund a project that has reached a cost of £180m to replace an aging rail bridge.

Oxfordshire County Council has written to Chancellor Rachel Reeves and the Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander for support to help close a £71m funding gap.

The replacement of Kennington rail bridge, which is part of the Oxford ring road and used by around 50,000 vehicles a day, will also include a new path for walking and cycling, a new eastbound park and ride bus lane and improved flood protection.

Councillor Judy Roberts said the project has faced engineering challenges, as well as inflation in the cost of construction materials.

The project was originally estimated to cost £53m when the council first said the bridge needed to be replaced in 2019.

But then this rose to £90m in 2022.

In October 2024, the county council received planning permission for the improvements.

The project will involve replacing the bridge one side at a time, so that it can still be accessed by workers during the construction, especially while there are periods of traffic.

Water main and fibre optic connections will also be diverted away from the rail bridge and overhead electricity cables will be factored into the construction work to maintain safety.

The county council has asked the Department for Transport's Structures Fund for help, which was set up by Reeves in June to support the renewal of transport infrastructure across the UK.

The bridge, which was built in 1965, is also on the route of the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme (OFAS).

This flood defence project led by the Environment Agency will aim to create a new stream with a wetland wildlife corridor to the reduce flood risk in Oxford and the surrounding areas.