School children help open footbridge over level crossing

Children from two local schools joined representatives from Richmond Council and Network Rail to open the borough’s newest footbridge over White Hart Lane level crossing.

Thomson House School and Barnes Primary are located near the level crossing with their students providing much of the foot traffic, particularly during the busy morning period.

Richmond Council and Network Rail co-funded the project to build the new footbridge at the White Hart Lane level crossing. The Council has contributed around £1.2m towards its installation and it is due to be completed by mid-April.

The installation of the footbridge follows campaigning over a number of years by local residents. Over the past three weeks the Council has been running a Twitter poll to name the bridge with residents selecting ‘Hart bypass’ from a shortlist of eight names.

Cllr Alexander Ehmann, Cabinet Member for Transport, Streetscene and Air Quality said: “I am delighted that after many years of campaigning residents will now benefit from a new footbridge over White Hart Lane level crossing. When I was elected Cabinet Member I made it a priority to deliver this project which was such a priority for the local community. The footbridge will make an enormous difference to students, pedestrians and cyclists who use will use the footbridge every day and have previously had to wait at the level crossing when barriers are down.”

Sarah Cook, commercial scheme sponsor for Network Rail, said: “This new footbridge will separate pedestrians and cyclists from the railway therefore reducing the element of risk at the crossing, which is great news for the hundreds of people who cross the railway here each day. This project is clearly very important for local residents, so I’m delighted we have been able to deliver it for them in partnership with Richmond Council.”