Network Rail have announced that work is underway to improve Aire Bridge in North Yorkshire.

The £2.1m project will see work completed on the bridge used by exclusively by freight services which are travelling to Drax Power Station.

Structural repairs to the bridge will be carried out along with a new waterproof layer. The track will be removed so that new sleepers and ballast can be installed.

The bridge will be closed every Saturday night until the 17th October. A 9-day closure of the line will take place between 27th August and 5th September.

The level crossing at Hirst Road, between Carlton and Hirst Courtney, will also be closed on those dates with a diversion in place.

Drax Power Station supplies 11% of the UK’s renewable electricity and the bridgework needs to be completed so that services can continue reliably.

While the 9-day closure takes place, Network Rail will take the opportunity to renew a section of track at Hensall, near Snaith reducing the disrupton to neighbours and freight companies.

Richard Owens, Infrastructure Director for Network Rail’s North and East route, said: “This essential repair work will boost reliability along this vital freight route so that companies that rely on freight, such as Drax, can continue to supply their customers across the UK.

“I know that closures are not ideal, so I’m glad that we’ve been able to bring forward a planned track renewal to within this closure to minimise disruption to the local community and freight operators.”

Mark Gibbens, Head of Logistics at Drax, said: “This work is vital to safeguard the future of this important infrastructure. Network Rail have worked closely with Drax to minimise the disruption this work will have on the power station and we don’t anticipate any unplanned disruption to supplies.”

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