indeed 14 months does sound excessive. It might be down to the amount of utilities that need diverting and restoring afterwards- in my personal experience some utilities are not the quickest out of the blocks.
The dates in today's press release agree exactly on start date, and approximately on finish date, with those on the Scottish Road Works site.
My comment was about the FirstBus planning horizon, not Network Rail.
Sorry if I wasn't clear. I realised that you were talking about FirstBus. I was bringing in a third source of information in the hope that it might act as a tie-breaker in the possible disagreement between Network Rail and First Bus.
Round here there is a map that shows all roadworks in the county. But its pretty useless because the dates given are the window the contractor has applied for to do the work, rather than exactly when they need the road to be closed and for how long. Some of them are down as the road being closed for a few months but its actually only closed for a few days.
I reckon (as a total layman) that they could build a new bridge on a better alignment leaving the old one open until it’s complete. There has been some activity, the trees and shrubs around the bridge have been removed.
www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk
Take a bit of the car park, cross the line and come out where the advertising hoardings are.
Perhaps there is room for a new alignment but it it nerds purchasing land and the owner is asking silly prices. It would certainly reduce the current replacement time and hassle. Guess it could be compulsory purchased.This discussion seems to have happened half a dozen times in this thread.
To me it seems clear on Google satellite view that there's plenty of room to build a new bridge on a new alignment at Clarkston without demolishing any buildings.
You'd go through this hoarding:
Google Maps
Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.www.google.co.uk
My one concern is that the road over the bridge and down to the roundabout might have to be steep.
However I now think they will not do it that way. I think they will alter the bridge in its existing location. The roadworks website says "refurbishment/reconstruction of structure".
The roadworks website also has an item for 2 nights of work coming up on 3-4 March, "carry out trial pits at base of parapets."
Perhaps the East Renfrewshire Council has had it's budget cut like all local Authorities. Even the Scottish Government has seen it's major Projects budget cut. Although it must be said that the Council is one of the more well heeled authorities. It would be the main benefactor of a new road and bridge. Sounds very much like political political posturing by the Council looking for somebody else to fund their work.
Judging by the state of our local roads when it's actually better on the Glasgow CC side of the boundary I'd say that's a given.
The Class 66 has just passed Giffnock heading for East Kilbride again.
Not often you get anything other than Class 156s up the branch.
This has now been done.
I posted photographs of this industrial mesh fence in post #1685:
Some forum members thought that this type of fence is acceptable. I think it should have a notice on it starting with the letters "H.M.P." I am pleased that it is to be replaced but I agree with @OB23Gone that it would have been better to have specified a more suitable type originally.
Glad to hear it’s being changed but I echo the comment that it should never have been erected.
www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk
