Railway bridge to close for work to stabilise slopes

A bridge will close so work can be done to stabilise Sonning Cutting's slopes as part of a programme planned to run until 2030.

The bridge in Warren Road, Woodley, will shut on Monday until spring 2028 so work can be done following incidents in 2020 and 2024, which disrupted rail services.

The bridge in Butts Hill Road will also close to vehicles from 9 November until mid-January 2027, but will remain open to pedestrians, unlike the Warren Road bridge.

Network Rail said the work would involve installing soil nails – long steel reinforcing bars – deep into the slopes to increase their strength.

It said a high strength steel mesh would also be installed across the surfaces to reduce erosion.

A landslip caused problems for routes between Reading and London Paddington in May 2024.

The railway cutting, which dates back to 1840, was part of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Great Western Railway between London and Bristol.

Network Rail said as the slopes "continue to age", it needed to tackle "vegetation-related instability and drainage issues".

It intends to carry out work in the area in stages until April 2030.

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