A NEW £10m, near 1,000 tonne bridge has been installed over a Slough railway track to help improve the town’s transport links for businesses and residents.

As part of the transformation of Slough Trading Estate, the new Leigh Road Bridge - one of the largest infrastructure projects in the estate’s history - was lowered into place in the early hours of the morning on Sunday, February 8, over the Great Western Railway line.

Once opened in September, the 95.9m bridge will provide a new two-lane single carriageway road over the railway line to allow traffic to flow more freely.

Gareth Osborn, business unit director for SEGRO in the Thames Valley, said: “The striking new Leigh Road Bridge is the largest infrastructure project to be delivered at the trading estate in nearly a decade. The night of the launch was an exciting culmination of months of hard work by the team and we are delighted that the bridge is safely positioned.

“It’s more than a bridge – it’s a demonstration of our commitment to continuing to make the Trading Estate the best location with the best infrastructure for current and future customers.” On Sunday, February 8, the track was made safe by Network Rail and handed to the team, signifying the start of the race against time to secure the structure across the track to complete an 18-month project.

The bridge was manoeuvred to the southern embankment and at 2am, it was moved at around 0.03mph across the track.

At 5am, Network Rail carried out a safety inspection and declared the track operational. Trains were running on time underneath the newly placed bridge later that morning.

Cllr Sohail Munawar, Slough Borough Council’s commissioner for social and economic inclusion with a responsibility for transport, said: “The new bridge is great news for the trading estate and for Slough as a whole.

“Not only will it help keep the traffic moving but it will bring numerous other benefits – not least improved facilities for cyclists and pedestrians who will have exclusive access to the old bridge in due course.

“It will also play a huge part in attracting the inward investment Slough needs to grow its economy and maintain its status as a world class place to do business.” By September, the deck, drainage, tarmac and footpaths on the bridge and on the new roads will be built. Pedestrians and cyclists will still be able to use the original, listed Leigh Road Bridge.