Hampden Park railway station footbridge reopened following refurbishment
The Victorian footbridge at Hampden Park railway station has reopened after a three month refurbishment.
A Network Rail spokesperson stated the work would ‘extend the life of the footbridge’ and ‘provide a safe and aesthetically pleasing footbridge for passengers to use at the station for many years to come.’
Contractors replaced the stairs and decking with new, more durable materials offering ‘improved slip resistance and a design life of up to 25 years’.
Strengthening work was carried out to ensure the bridge can ‘safely accommodate expected passenger use’, while new handrails and safety mesh were installed to ‘improve safety and prevent objects from falling onto the tracks below.’
The central span of the bridge was removed in February and refurbished off-site.
Accessibility improvements were also made at the station including new tactile paving at the top of the footbridge and on the platforms, supporting customers with visual impairments to navigate the station.
Southern Rail Head of Stations Tom Easdown said: “We’re delighted the footbridge at Hampden Park is open again and fully refurbished. I’d like to thank our passengers for bearing with us.”
Tim Leighton, Sussex Route Infrastructure Director for Network Rail, said: “The bridge at Hampden Park needed significant strengthening and refurbishment to keep it safe for years to come. It was a complex operation involving lifting the structure out by crane and transporting it by road for specialist work. I’d like to thank passengers for their patience while this vital work was completed.”