Work begins to replace station's ageing footbridge

Multi-million pound work to replace a railway station's ageing footbridge has begun, with disruption expected to last for 12 months.

The 79-year-old footbridge at Havant station in Hampshire is located between Elmleigh Road and North Street.

Hampshire County Council said the £12.8m scheme would "provide a safer, more accessible and attractive crossing".

A signed diversion route will provide access across the railway line in both directions but add about 10 minutes to journeys on foot, the council said.

The council said the new bridge would be twice as wide as the existing structure and more accessible for cyclists, wheelchair, and mobility scooter users, as well as people travelling with prams or pushchairs.

Kirsty North, Hampshire County Council's deputy leader and cabinet lead for universal services, said: "This is a complex project, with work taking place over a live railway line, and we recognise that the closure of the existing bridge and the introduction of diversion routes will cause some disruption."

Havant station is the fourth busiest in Hampshire, serving more than 1.8 million passengers a year, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A pedestrian survey carried out by the county council recorded more than 1,650 people using the station daily.

The council said the cost of the project has been funded using a combination of money from the Department for Transport, developer contributions and Havant Borough Council's community infrastructure levy fund.

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