St Austell FRP Footbridge

 

Network Rail commissioned PB to design a footbridge to replace the existing corroded wrought iron structure at St Austell. The bridge had to be virtually maintenance-free, and following the recommendations of an earlier PB report for Network Rail, a fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) structure was specified. The footbridge is the first structure to be constructed entirely from FRP materials on the UK rail network, and is the longest span of its type worldwide.

Our Highways and Rail engineers worked together to successfully deliver the project. The project, which included research and development to ensure that the proposed finished product performed, was delivered to programme and within the budget.

The project team won the NCE / ACE Outstanding Achievement Award for their work on this. The judges said the work of the team has pushed the boundaries of fibre reinforced polymers and included many groundbreaking features. Since the installation of the bridge in October 2007, we have received several further enquiries to undertake similar designs.