HS2 has revealed the latest progress on a new green bridge set to cross the high-speed railway near Kenilworth, Warwickshire.
Stoneleigh Road bridge will consist of a dual carriageway for vehicles and provide two nature corridors – giving safe passage for wildlife to cross the railway. It is one of 16 similar green bridges on the HS2 project between London and the West Midlands.
Piling work on the bridge, which is 33 metres in length and 42 metres wide, started in October 2023, with a delivery team of 50 people supporting the build at peak construction. The team has recently been making the finishing touches to the bridge, including the installation of 32 parapets, following a huge pour of 1,900 cubic metres of concrete to create a deck slab in late 2024.
With the main construction work now complete, engineers will begin realigning Stoneleigh Road over the top of the bridge and constructing a new roundabout linking to the main entrance of Stoneleigh Business Park. Hedgerows and vegetation will then be planted in nine-metre strips either side of the realigned road to create safe corridors for birds, small animals and insects.
The realignment process and nature corridor landscaping are due for completion in Autumn 2025, with traffic then beginning to flow over the bridge.
The complex operation is being delivered by HS2’s construction partner for the West Midlands, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), which is constructing 90 kilometres of HS2 between Long Itchington in Warwickshire to the centre of Birmingham and on to Staffordshire.
Vicki Lee, Senior Project Manager for HS2 Ltd, said: “A big thank you to everyone involved both onsite and behind the scenes as we reach this exciting next phase of Stoneleigh Road green bridge’s development, following a great deal of hard work.
“What makes Stoneleigh Road bridge special is the addition of valuable green space either side, meaning wildlife can safely pass over the high-speed railway line. Wherever possible, it’s important we integrate green measures and multifunctional design features, creating a railway that blends into the character of the surrounding landscape.”
George Shopland, Project Manager at Balfour Beatty VINCI, said: “We’ve recently completed a huge single-span deck pour on the Stoneleigh Road bridge and are finishing installing 32 parapets, each weighing nine tonnes. This is another significant achievement for the Balfour Beatty VINCI team.
“Completing this work means we’re entering the next exciting phase of construction, which includes realigning Stoneleigh Road over the top of the bridge and creating two green corridors on both sides of the carriageway.”
Route-wide, HS2 is building more than 500 bridging structures – including over 50 major viaducts. These will stretch for a combined total of 15 kilometres (nine miles) across valleys, rivers, roads and flood plains.
Construction continues at pace between the West Midlands and London, with HS2 now supporting more than 31,000 jobs. When complete, HS2 services will run between London and the West Midlands on a dedicated high-speed line before reaching destinations further north via the existing West Coast Main Line.
