Network Rail has opened a competition to design a new footbridge that can be used to improve accessibility at stations and level crossings.

Aimed at professionals, the selection process is seeking ideas to contribute towards and influence new standard designs rather than a solution that will necessarily be implemented.

Over a third of Britain’s railway infrastructure is now electrified and the structures required to span the railway often represent the most significant change in the local landscape since the introduction of the railway itself. Electrification of the network has however resulted in perceptibly taller footbridge structures that take longer to cross and have a greater visual impact.

Since 2006, Network Rail has installed new 200 footbridges, and refurbished many more.

(c) Network Rail

The company has a catalogue of designs to match various locations, and the competition is to increase the range of options they can call on when upgrading a station.

Footbridges are, of necessity and cost constraints, these days more functional than ornamental, and this is a chance for engineers and architects to put some design flair into railway footbridges.

If a design is found to be appropriate, it could be added to Network Rail’s catalogue, to be used when a footbridge is needed for a location.

(c) Network Rail

The competition is open internationally to practising architects, structural engineers, civil engineers or teams thereof, together with students of these design disciplines.

The competition details are on the RIBA website here

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6 comments
  1. Richard Ash says:

    They went some way for the first picture – it’s at Hooton on the Wirral. Unfortunately to let them build it before they took the old one down you have to walk a long way down a not-routinely-used platform from the booking office to reach the bridge at all – and 100% of passengers have to use said bridge!

  2. Andrew Gwilt says:

    The 1st picture of the footbridge linking the platforms is a better design and its sheltered aswell. Which makes me think of Network Rail could replace the footbridges at stations on the Southend Victoria Line in Essex such as at Wickford, Rayleigh, Hockley, Rochford and Prittlewell with new footbridges with stairs, ramps &/or lifts plus with signage and lightings. And replacing the footbridge at Ingatestone station on the London-Norwich main line with new stairs and ramps or lifts. To make these stations accessible for disabled and parents with babies on push prams to access the platforms freely and easily without having to take the long way round.

    • Andrew Gwilt says:

      As Billericay and Southend Airport stations are step free accessible with lifts.

  3. Jimbo says:

    *sigh* – the organisation that is now Network Rail has been building footbridges over railways for around 175 years – do they really need some architects to tell them how to do it?

    So they are going to get lots of entries on how to make bridges look very good, but are impractical to implement.
    What they really need is a competition on how to provide ideas on building bridges cheaper and quicker. Rather than ask for “innovative ideas”, ask for focused, practical solutions.

    • Ian Visits says:

      *sigh*

      This is the “not made here” attitude that holds back innovation when fresh thinking from outside is banned. Maybe the competition will be a dud, but rather than complain, how about celebrating the open minded attitude that seeks innovative ideas from a wider audience.

  4. Sykobee says:

    Canons and Netting. Get into a canon, get fired to a different platform, being caught by the netting. Safe, fast and no need for track closures whilst the bridge is being installed.

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