This Design and Construct contract was undertaken on behalf of Associated British Ports (ABP) at Newport and involved the demolition and replacement of an existing rail bridge spanning the dry dock entrance to the River Usk.

Delivered in close collaboration with ABP, the scheme prioritised operational continuity, environmental protection, and safety throughout. Working in a high-risk, operational port setting and adjacent to the ecologically sensitive River Usk, robust control measures were implemented to manage the interface with ongoing port operations, tidal influences, and complex logistics.

The design brief required the elimination of any structural obstructions within the tidal zone. This was successfully achieved through the implementation of a 41-metre single-span bridge with a 5.2-metre width. The new structure comprises composite steel and concrete main beams, supported on piled foundations. It carries a single-track railway line, reinstated on its existing alignment and levels, using a traditional ballasted track system.

Key project activities included:

• Temporary diversion of existing services to facilitate safe demolition

• Removal of the existing rail infrastructure

• Controlled demolition and removal of the existing pre-stressed/post-tensioned concrete rail bridge

• Installation of new reinforced concrete (RC) abutments founded on driven steel piles

• Fabrication and installation of 41m steel girder beams with associated bracing

• Installation of precast edge units, prefabricated off-site, followed by construction of the in-situ concrete deck

• Reinstatement of the rail line

• Tidal access concrete repairs to the adjacent RC cantilevered road bridge, using suspended scaffold systems

The overall contract duration was 20 weeks, including an 8-week design period that accounted for the long lead-in required for the bridge girders. On-site works were completed within a 12-week window, which included a critical 7-week rail possession to align with ABP’s operational requirements.