Cannock Chase cyclists riding high as £1.5m bridge opens
A new £1.5 million pound bridge has been opened on Cannock Chase to prevent cyclists from having to cross railway lines.
The structure was built following a series of near misses by bikers and pedestrians using the Moors Gorse public bridleway crossing, according to Network Rail.
Opening the new bridge has also allowed the firm to permanently close the old level crossing, which previously forced cyclists and pedestrians to negotiate two sets of gates to cross the busy Cannock railway line where trains travel through at up to 50mph.
The crossing was being used by up to 3,000 cyclists each weekend.
Paul Sumner, project sponsor for Network Rail, said: "In 2010, we became aware of a change of use at Moors Gorse as new mountain bike trails opened up in the forest with up to 3,000 cyclists using the crossing on certain weekends.
"This increase in also meant a big rise in the level of risk associated with the crossing, so we're delighted to open this new bridge and close the crossing for good.
"The surest way to remove risk at a level crossing is to close it and Moors Gorse is one of more than 700 we have successfully closed across Britain in the last three years."
Network Rail says the scheme was further supported by an increase in misuse of the crossing and a number of near misses.
Since the summer of 2010 there were 10 officially reported 'near miss' incidents at Moors Gorse involving 37 people, says the firm, ranging from a near miss reported with two joggers to a single incident reported in October 2011 with approximately 20 cyclists.
The bridge was officially opened by Cannock Chase MP Aidan Burley.
