Steventon Bridge is falling down?

[WAO]

While councillors are elected, planning decisions have to be made according to the National Planning Policy Framework together with the policies contained in the local plan(s). If they don't they can be challenged by appeal or even in Court. Local Authorities can be liable for costs if they lose, hence the bias in favour of the rich developer.

Listing does not always presuppose preservation; it does mean that the issue of demolition or conservation is considered carefully. In the Steventon case I believe that NR would have won an appeal against planning refusal easily as the bridge is in poor condition, being shored up (dangerous structure notices trump Listing!) and is one of many, lacking specific features. I think that the real issue behind the listing was the villagers' worry over the short term loss of the bridge crossing. If a temporary bridge during the reconstruction were offered, I suspect that the plan would have been accepted.

NR's choice not to go to appeal but to put up with it for a few years may have proved very wise if the LA ends up with the replacement bill. A wider span for 4 tracks may be simpler to build as the abutments would be well clear of the railway.

HNY

WAO

 

[zwk500]

A wider span for 4 tracks may be simpler to build as the abutments would be well clear of the railway.

It may also be more expensive to build if the road will need to be reprofiled on approach.

 

[mr_jrt]

More expensive - yes. Massively more expensive? I doubt it. The road surface is pretty much level, and there are no road junctions or buildings immediately either side of it.

 

[zwk500]

More expensive - yes. Massively more expensive? I doubt it. The road surface is pretty much level, and there are no road junctions or buildings immediately either side of it.

Google Street View suggests it's got reasonable approach ramps, but I don't know the area. More expensive is still consideration, given the low chance of realising the value of the additional width.

 

[jfowkes]

Steventon Bridge: Overcoming the Obstacle - Rail Engineer

Listen to this article In the complex story of the electrification of the Great Western main line, one name keeps cropping up – Steventon Bridge (issue 167, September 2018). This structure, and the problems it has caused, has been the subject of much media coverage, both technical and public...

www.railengineer.co.uk

Interesting article here about how they got it from 60mph to 110mph on electric

The one good thing about the refusal to demolish the bridge was that it allowed this data to be gathered and updated our knowledge about what modern OLE and pantograph systems are capable of.

Like the use of the insulator paint at Cardiff, this could reduce the cost of electrification at other places on the network.