More major disruption on the roads in and around Coulsdon and Purley, as Network Rail prepares for “essential” repair works to the bridge over Old Lodge Lane, starting from May 22 and continuing through at least until July 7.

Old Lodge Lane will be closed to all traffic for four weekends during the works.

In a letter distributed to residents, Network Rail says that the works to the bridge, located near Reedham Station, will give the structure “a maintenance-free life of 15 to 20 years and greatly improve the appearance of the bridge”.

The works will involve high-pressure water jetting to the bridge to remove the corrosion and existing paint, steelwork repairs to strengthen the bridge and protective coating application.

Also included in the refurbishment are: brickwork repairs, drainage and bird prevention mesh.

To enable the works to take place, Network Rail is creating a compound and storage area within nearby school playing fields.

The railway bridge works are scheduled to be completed one week before the unrelated works on the water mains at Purley Cross is due to begin, when a section of the A22 will be closed for six weeks.

Of the Old Lodge Lane works, Network Rail said, “These works have been carefully planned to implement as much of the noisy works as possible during the series of weekends and the quieter works during weekday nights. There will still be some noise during the midweek night works, but every effort will be made to minimise this.”

There will be a full road closure and bus stop suspensions on Old Lodge Lane during the works’ planned times. During the weekend-only phase of the works, Old Lodge Lane will be closed from 11pm on Fridays to 5am on Mondays. During the midweek night works, Old Lodge Lane will be closed from 11.30pm to 5am each night from Monday to Friday.

Pedestrians will still have access within a protected scaffold tunnel during closures. Nearby businesses will be trading as usual.

During the four weekend closures, there will be a shuttle bus service operating in substitute for the normal bus services.

• Shuttle buses will operate on Saturdays and Sundays from 5.30am to 11pm during the weekend closures.
• The shuttle bus will travel up and down Old Lodge, stopping at each bus stop from Reedham Station to New Valley School.
• A separate bus service will run from Old Lodge Lane at the bridge to Tesco Extra in Purley. This bus will also stop at the Grovesdale bus stop on the way to Tesco.
• During midweek night closures, the last bus service passing through Old Lodge Lane will be at 11.30pm. The normal bus service will resume at 5.30am.

Works will be carried out as follows:

Anyone with further questions or concerns should contact the Network Rail National Helpline on 03457 11 41 41 or visit www.networkrail.co.uk quoting Old Lodge Lane Bridge Refurbishment Works.

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