Botley Road works expected to be 24/7 from tonight
Network Rail, which is leading the £161m station improvement project, hopes that the 24/7 working hours will allow engineers to get back on track. Works slowed in June when a historic brick arch was discovered beneath the rail bridge.
Last month, the rail company’s industry programme director, Claire Mahoney, told the Oxford[1] Mail that noisy activities like drilling will be done during the day.
“During the night, we will be doing quieter works which will need to continue to maintain the site programme,” she said.
Teams have been working seven days a week at the city centre site since August 14. However, construction workers will work 24-hours-a-day from tonight (September 2).
Ms Mahoney said: “We are moving to the 24-hour working schedule to mitigate some of that and reviewing the options to see how that might need to influence some of the later stages of the works.
Between 10 and 15 workers would be carrying out work during the night, the Oxford Mail learnt last month. During the day, the number will rise to between 20 and 25.
Closed since April to allow the utilities companies to divert pipes, cables and other infrastructure, it is hoped that Botley Road will reopen at the end of October.
The road will then be shut again between March and October next year, when the railway bridge will be replaced.
References
- ^ Oxford (www.oxfordmail.co.uk)
- ^ Works at Botley Road shift to 24/7 (www.oxfordmail.co.uk)