Valerie visits Town Centre railway works

I visited the site on Park Street in the Town Centre on Friday 29 January 2016 where Network Rail is replacing the railway bridge in order to create room for equipment needed for the electrification of the Chase Line.

I was impressed by the steps Network Rail have taken to minimise inconvenience to shoppers and businesses. I saw a time-lapse video of the work to date and discussed the need for electrification with Liam Sumpter, Network Rail Area Director for the West Midlands and Project Manager Matt Brown.

I was showed the works where one half of the bridge has been replaced and the other is being demolished this weekend. I saw the railway line under the bridge and the concrete blocks that support the roof of the tunnel. I was delighted to hear that local people within a radius of 25 -30 miles were employed. It is important to preserve these skills in the West Midlands.

This was a fascinating visit and an outstanding example of a major infrastructure project carried out successfully. The electrification of the Chase Line has been ranked number one in the country in rankings of delivering electrification projects on time and on budget. I look forward to the completion .