£580,000 new Wineham bridge given wildlife access

After being hit regularly by vehicles, a bridge at Wineham has been improved and given special wildlife shelves to help animals cross safely.
By The Newsroom
Published 14th Aug 2018, 16:38 BST
Updated 2nd Sep 2018, 22:06 BST
The new Wineham Lane bridge, showing green engineering elements, such as grasscrete on the left of the picture, which will green up over time, plus sustainable timber fencingThe new Wineham Lane bridge, showing green engineering elements, such as grasscrete on the left of the picture, which will green up over time, plus sustainable timber fencing
The new Wineham Lane bridge, showing green engineering elements, such as grasscrete on the left of the picture, which will green up over time, plus sustainable timber fencing

The Wineham Lane bridge, in Wineham suffered from vehicles damaging the side railings but now two carriageway lanes have been built, replacing a ‘pinchpoint’ which funnelled traffic, and forward visibility has been increased.

The 40mph speed restriction in Wineham Lane has been extended over the bridge and a hardened verge introduced to improve safety for pedestrians who previously had to walk in the road between the side railings.

‘Green engineering’ used in the project included:

The wildlife shelves, under the bridge, which enable animals to safely cross the causewayThe wildlife shelves, under the bridge, which enable animals to safely cross the causeway
The wildlife shelves, under the bridge, which enable animals to safely cross the causeway
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• Wildlife ‘shelves’ under the bridge so animals can cross the causeway safely under the road

• The verge is made of ‘grasscrete’ – a concrete grid that allows grass to grow through it, so it will ‘green up’ over time

• The approach embankments were ‘green engineered’, replacing the old concrete side walls and harsh metal railings with natural reinforced earth embankments

• Safety fences are clad in timber and the old metal railings replaced with sustainable timber fencing.

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Bob Lanzer, county council Cabinet Member for Highways and Infrastructure, said: “This project has combined safety improvements with ‘green engineering’ to ensure the new bridge is in-keeping with the rural setting.

“For example, the reinforced earth approach embankments should meld into the surroundings over time, replacing the ‘harsher’ concrete walls and metal railings.”

Replacing the bridge was essential because the side walls were leaning badly and a number of the small culvert pipes had fractured, meaning the structure was becoming unsafe.

The pipes were replaced with a new larger box bridge designed to last a minimum of 120 years.

The total cost of the project was about £580,000.