Who Pays for New Bridges?

[Lucan]

The proposed Croxley Rail link between the old LNWR Croxley Green branch from Watford Junction and the Watford branch of the LU Metropolitan Line has probably been discussed before. However, it seems to me that one of the show-stoppers is cost of a bridge needed over a relatively new dual-carriageway (Ascot Road). Also, I understand that Ascot Road cut the line (severing an embankment shortly before Croxley Green station) before the branch was formally closed - witness the fact that a bus replacement service was run until later formal closure.

Now I would have thought that if you build a new road (or widen one) that crosses a railway, then whoever is paying for the road should pay for the necessary railway bridge. And vice-versa. Or am I being too logical? While it may not have made sense to have built a new bridge when the line was little used and facing closure, a new bridge for the new link could now make sense. Surely the economics of the proposed rail link should be considered with the cost of a new bridge over Ascot Road left out of it - to be paid for by those responsible for building the road if the decision is positive.

 

[Bald Rick]

The cost of the new bridge is always paid for by the party that wants it, unless there is a prior legal agreement that requires someone else to cough up.

Whilst the MLLX would indeed have to get over Ascot Rd, it also needs to get over the Grand Union Canal, the River Gade, and the A412. One viaduct will do the lot.

In any event, the highway authority there is Herts CC. The main funder of the MLLX is Herts CC. So yes, the railway promoter could ask the highway authority to cough, but ultimately it would still be us Herts council taxpayers who ultimately pay.

 

[WelwynS]

This is a test of the memory banks. Bald Rick is correct. When Ascot Road was built, it was known that the Croxley Rail Link needed to pass over the A412 on a bridge. To get the headroom over the A412, the railway needs to be lifted in the area of Ascot Road. In other words, substantial work was needed in the Ascot Road area regardless of whether Ascot Road itself was built, and HCC were paying for both schemes.

 

[Tio Terry]

Arguably, the DfT pays one way or another!

 

[Bald Rick]

Arguably, the DfT pays one way or another!

Not so, most road bridges are owned by the highway authority, and usually this is the local county council / unitary authority, which is funded by council tax payers, not central government.

 

[WatcherZero]

They are owned by, but most construction and replacements are still directly or indirectly funded by the Dft if they are of any significant size.

 

[snowball]

When a new road crosses an existing railway, the road scheme pays for the bridge regardless of whether it's over or under, but the ownership, design, construction supervision and subsequent maintenance are normally by the road authority in the case of a road-over-rail bridge, and the rail authority in the case of a rail-over-road bridge.