British Construction Industry Awards 2023
Initiative of the Year Award
The winner is drawn from best of the initiative award winners.
Winner
Network Rail – Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Footbridge “Flow”
Judges’ comment “ Design and delivery was efficient in a situation and an industry that has often been criticised for its inefficiency, driven by a client that recognised a need to do things differently”
Network Rail recognised that installing footbridges over railway lines was inefficient and carried safety risks. It devised a modular design which required shallower foundations which could be created using lower emission plant and hand tools instead of large piling rigs.
The structure itself has a modular design which can be adapted to different track configurations and site constraints.
The first of these new footbridges was installed over just three nights, replacing a dangerous level crossing. Structural components were manufactured off-site and lifted into place.
Off-site production reduced safety risks as well as minimising the impact on rail services and local stakeholders.
“Flow” is designed to meet the same demands as a steel footbridge, with in-built structural health monitoring devices recording how the bridge performs. These enable more efficient maintenance and reduce asset management costs.
The design is flexible and easy to replicate and Network Rail has identified as many as 50 sites where the “Flow” footbridge could be installed.
