Preston to Bamber Bridge Disused Railway

Site Description

The Preston to Bamber Bridge site (including Penwortham Spur) is located to the south of the Fishergate shopping centre in Preston City Centre and extends into Lower Penwortham within the district of South Ribble. The site includes former railway land with embankments, bridges and infilled arches. The most notable bridge is Avenham Viaduct, a brick arch and steel girder bridge which spans the River Ribble linking Preston with Penwortham. On the northern side of the River Ribble the former railway runs between the historic Miller and Avenham Parks and on the southern side of the river, the line of the site is within Preston Junction Local Nature Reserve.

Grid Reference: 353720 428760

Size: 13ha

Site Boundary

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Current Status

Sections of the former railway land are in a disused and neglected condition, including the former track bed of the Avenham Viaduct. Land under Vicars Bridge adjacent to the Fishergate Centre car park is characterised by overgrown vegetation including Japanese Knotweed and litter/fly-tipping. Palisade fencing within the site is used to stop public access to areas of private land.

A cantilever extension has previously been added to the Avenham Viaduct to enable footpath access across the river. The provision of a footpath over the bridge is now protected as a Public Right of Way and allows pedestrian access to the other protected footpaths located on the southern and northern banks of the River Ribble.

A previous land reclamation scheme to develop the Preston Junction Local Nature Reserve (LNR), by Lancashire County Council in conjunction with Lancashire Wildlife Trust, resulted in the creation of a footpath/cycle path along the line of the former railway to the south of the river. The former Penwortham Spur section of the railway now has missing bridges reducing pedestrian access. Desire lines have been formed on the remaining embankments from Leyland Road in Penwortham, which help to create an informal footpath link to the Preston Junction LNR and the main railway footpath.

Vegetation including trees and shrubs have created, over several decades, a natural wildlife corridor along the former railway. Some parts of the former railway are in need of further management, but important grassland areas are already managed by Lancashire County Council and the Lancashire Wildlife Trust as part of the Local Nature Reserve. In addition the southern stretch of the former railway is designated as a Biological Heritage Site.

Previous Use

The former railway was constructed in 1848 to provide access to Preston Station and formed part of the Bamber Bridge to Preston extension of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. The railway was dismantled in the 1960's. The southern section of the railway was previously a 52 arch viaduct. Due to subsidence the arches were filled in by 1895 and this section is now part of the Preston Junction LNR. Apart from the removal of the railway, the site itself has been left virtually unchanged over time. Land immediately adjacent to the site forms part of the river floodplain and areas adjacent to Penwortham Spur have been developed, including residential development.

Proposed Use

The project will involve the creation of a direct shared use footpath/cycle path linking Penwortham and Avenham/Miller Parks with the Fishergate Centre car park and the railway station. The new path will link to the existing path located to the south of the River Ribble. The combined path will form part of Preston's cycle path network providing an important recreation and sustainable transport route into Preston city centre whilst providing access to the wider National Cycle Network. As part of the initial project appraisals the feasibility of improving access from the former Penwortham Spur to Leyland Road in Penwortham will also be assessed.

Aerial Photo

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Design

An initial site appraisal has been undertaken and the results will inform an outline design for the site. The outline design is timetabled to commence in Summer 2007. The REMADE team will be working closely with Lancashire County Council Countryside Services and Cycling sections, Preston City Council Parks department, South Ribble Borough Council, Network Rail, Sustrans (National Cycling Charity) and private owners to develop a suitable scheme for the site.

The aim of the design is to create a shared use path and wildlife corridor. Works will include the construction of a 3m wide shared use path, ecological mitigation and habitat enhancement which will include the removal of invasive plant species eg Japanese knotweed.

Works

Works are expected to take place during 2008/9 once a complete funding package is in place and statutory permissions have been obtained.