Kent Elms footbridge is coming down this weekend

November 23, 2016 by Southend Borough Council

Kent Elms footbridge is coming down this weekend

Wednesday 23rd November 2016

Demolition experts plan to remove the footbridge over the A127 at Kent Elms junction this weekend as part of a major project to improve traffic flow and road safety at the junction.

Subject to low winds and favourable weather, contractor Eurovia is scheduled to remove the footbridge overnight on Friday and Saturday night, with Sunday night as a contingency, from 7pm to 7.30am.

The demolition crew plans to remove the main span on Friday night to Saturday morning, with the stepped ramps either side being removed between Saturday night and Sunday morning. If work is hampered by poor weather, work will continue from Sunday night.

Cllr Tony Cox, Executive Councillor for Transport, Waste and Cleansing, said: “Widening the junction at Kent Elms is a much needed and long-awaited project that will help better manage current and future traffic levels along the A127 into Southend.

“As the main route into and out of the Borough, the A127 is critical to the town’s prosperity. Removing the bridge will be the first major milestone in this project and will create the room needed to widen the junction.

“The safety of pedestrians and road users is our top priority, which is why crossing patrol officers will be deployed during term times for the duration of the project to escort pedestrians across the toucan crossing. We also have our own road safety advisers on site for the next few weeks, while people get used to the change.

“As with any project of this size, some disruption is inevitable. However, both the Council and Eurovia have committed to keeping disruption to a minimum by carefully considering how and when we work.”

Eastbound and westbound diversion routes will be in place whilst the work takes place to enable the bridge to be removed safely.

Residents and businesses close to the junction are being notified of the work by the contractor’s Public Liaison Officer. Access to properties will be maintained at all times and bus services are unaffected.

What is the Kent Elms project?
The £6.5m Kent Elms junction upgrade aims to improve the traffic flow across this key junction into and out of the town and make it easier for people with impaired mobility and those with pushchairs to cross the highway. A replacement footbridge will be provided in a similar location to the old one, which will be have both accessible ramps and new stairs. The pedestrian crossing of the A127, next to the Kent Elms surgery, which opened in December 2015, will be retained and modified. A new surface-level pedestrian crossing will be introduced across the A127 to the east of the junction near Mendip Crescent. There will also be a new pedestrian crossing in Rayleigh Road, at the junction. These will be timed to coincide with the main traffic light sequence. Work will continue through to May 2017. The majority of the funding for the Kent Elms junction improvement (£5.1m) is from the Government’s Local Growth Fund, with the remainder coming from the Council’s Capital budget.

Keeping you informed
Further details about both projects will also be available at www.bettersouthend.com with regular updates sent via Twitter at @bettersouthend. You can also email any queries to bettersouthend@southend.gov.uk