When does the work to Millbrook Footbridge start?
Refurbishment works will begin on Monday 10th July for approximately 7 weeks.
What are the working hours?
Daytime works will take place between 7:30am and 5:30pm.
When required, overnight works will take place between 8pm and 6am in line with the planned programme found here. The team working on site will however endeavour to complete the most disruptive of these overnight works in the earlier part of the evening wherever possible.
Will pedestrians be able to use the footbridge during the works?
It will not be possible for pedestrians/cyclists to use the footbridge from 8am on Monday 10th July until the works are completed. This is because scaffolding will be erected surrounding the bridge and it will be enclosed with protective sheeting.
Signed pedestrian diversion routes will instead be in place for the duration of the works to enable pedestrians to cross Millbrook Road West safely at existing crossing points on Paynes Road and at the Regents Park Road junction. Additional signed cycle diversion routes will also be in use.
Will the footbridge be reopened before the end of the school Summer holidays?
Yes, works are planned to take 7 weeks to complete, allowing the footbridge to be reopened before the end of the Summer holidays.
Will the works cause disruption to local residents?
Properties close to the carriageway may experience temporary disturbances such as flashing lights and reversing sirens, and the works being carried out will, on occasion, be noisy. We would like to take this opportunity to apologise in advance for any inconvenience or disruption this work may cause.
How will I access Millbrook Station?
During the works pedestrian and cycle diversion routes will be in place, with signs used to clearly mark each of the routes.
All diversion routes will start on one side of the footbridge and end at the opposite side, enabling a full route to be travelled from Foundry Lane to Millbrook Station and vice versa.
Will there be overnight access to properties/businesses on Millbrook Road West when you have the road closed?
This will be very limited, although all closures/lane restrictions will be promptly removed before 6am each morning. Should access be required, please contact roadworks@southampton.gov.uk and we will advise if this can be facilitated on an ad-hoc basis.
Will Millbrook Road West westbound be disrupted?
During the overnight road closures on the below dates, Millbrook Road West will be closed in both directions. This closure will be in place between Regents Park Road junction and Central Station Bridge/Western Esplanade junction.
- 17th – 20th July
- 24th – 28th July
- 31st July
- 14th – 18th August
Additionally, overnight on 11th & 12th July, the slip lane from Paynes Road onto Millbrook Road West westbound will be closed after the junction with Waterloo Road.
Will the road closures on Millbrook Road West clash with planned closures of Redbridge Causeway undertaken by Hampshire County Council?
No, the programme of works has been planned to avoid simultaneous closures of Millbrook Road West and Redbridge Causeway. For this reason, there is limited Friday night working throughout July.
Will residents be able to see the work being carried out?
During the works scaffolding will be erected surrounding the bridge and it will be enclosed with protective sheeting. The majority of the works to remove the bridge’s existing coating and repainting of the structure will then take place inside this encapsulation.
What work will be undertaken to the steps?
As part of the works, it has been decided to remove and not replace the sub-standard northern and southern access steps to the bridge. Instead, the existing access ramp linking to Foundry Lane will be improved, and access will remain available on the southern side via the existing steps.
How do these works link to what has already undertaken by Network Rail?
Prior to Southampton City Council’s works, Network Rail has carried out work on the footbridge to Millbrook Station as it was reaching the end of its serviceable life. This Network Rail footbridge was made up of a concrete footbridge over the railway and ramps that linked to Millbrook Road West and has now been replaced.
As part of the project, Network Rail replaced the previously non-compliant ramps with steps and the new station footbridge has the ability for lifts to be installed in the future. This means that there is no longer a ramp providing access on the south side of Millbrook Road West, and it is regrettably not feasible for the Council to provide a fully accessible ramp at this time, although alternative level crossing points of Millbrook Road West are available at the junctions with Regents Park Road to the west and Paynes Road to the east.