Edinburgh motorists face disruption as £1.3m rail bridge upgrades set to begin
The upgrade works are set to begin next month and will continue for at least two months
A major route through Gorgie will be hit by a number of road and lane closures as work begins on a new rail bridge upgrade project.
Network Rail has confirmed that a £1.3m project to upgrade the railway bridge which stretches over Westfield Road in the west of the city will begin in August.
As a result of the work to upgrade the rail bridge, Westfield Road will face a number of closures.
Overnight lane closures will take place between August 8 and October 9.
However, there is set to be a full road closure in place for ten days from September 8 until September 18. This will be when work will be at “its most intensive stage”.
There will also be a closure of the railway line, which is mainly used by freight services, between September 11 and September 14.
Owen Ferry, project manager at Network Rail, said: “Projects like this are a vital part of how we look after Scotland’s railway.
“The bridge over Westfield Road plays an important role in keeping trains moving safely across Edinburgh, and continued investment helps ensure the network can support communities for the long term.
“By carrying out this work now, we can extend the life of the bridge and reduce the risk of more significant and disruptive interventions in the future.
“We know this will cause some temporary inconvenience, and we’re grateful for everyone’s patience while we complete these improvements.”
Network Rail added that it was “working closely” with City of Edinburgh Council, local businesses and others to reduce the impact of the project and was taking events at nearby Murrayfield Stadium into consideration.
Those who use the route regularly are being urged to plan ahead of the works and allow for extra time travelling through the area when work begins next month.