REFURBISHMENT of a major road and railway bridge in Crewe has been completed three weeks ahead of schedule.

Network Rail completed the improvements to the Hungerford Road bridge on Sunday, May 22, finishing the essential work, which started in December last year.

The £1.7 million upgrade included strengthening work, which involved rebuilding part of the bridge on the southern side of the structure, including a new parapet wall and installing new barriers and kerbs.

Mark Ashton, scheme project manager at Network Rail, said: “This upgrade represents a significant investment in the railway in Crewe which will help to protect the Hungerford Road bridge for many decades to come, resulting in less maintenance and therefore more reliable train services for passengers.

“The refurbishment of the bridge forms part of our Railway Upgrade Plan to provide a better, more reliable railway and I’d like to thank the people and businesses of Crewe for their patience while we carried out this essential and safety-critical work.”

The work was part of a £17 million improvement programme to Network Rail structures including two viaducts and four bridges between Crewe and Manchester, and Sandbach and Northwich.

Cllr David Brown, cabinet member for highways, said: “We are pleased that this work has now been completed and ahead of schedule.

“We would also like to thank the people of Crewe for their patience and understanding.

“This was a challenging project for Network Rail and they appear to have completed the project successfully and well ahead of the projected completion date.”

The investments are part of the wider Railway Upgrade Plan, which makes up two-thirds of Network Rail's £40 billion spending priorities for the five years to 2019.

Railway Upgrade Plan represents the biggest sustained programme of rail modernisation since the Victoria era.

Passenger numbers have doubled in the past 20 years and are set to double again over the next 25 years

The Railway Upgrade Planis designed to provide more capacity, relieve crowding and respond to the tremendous growth Britain's railways continue to experience.