Campaigners have raised concerns about the blocking-up of a bridge over a disused rail route, saying it will prevent cyclists from using it as a cycle path. 

The Historic Railways Estate (HRE) Group criticised the decision of National Highways to infill the road bridge at Congham, near King’s Lynn.

The bridge, which carries the quiet St Andrew’s Lane, passes over a band of land which was once occupied by the track of the Lynn-Fakenham Railway.

Eastern Daily Press: The bridge carries St Andrew's Lane, a quiet country roadThe bridge carries St Andrew's Lane, a quiet country road (Image: HRE Group)

The gap under the bridge had until recently remained in place, theoretically leaving open the possibility of the former rail route being re-utilised as a cycle link. 

Norfolk County Council is putting forward plans for such a link between Lynn and Fakenham, which could for at least some of its length make use of the railway line. 

But the HRE Group said this ambition had been hampered by the decision to fill the gap in the Congham bridge with earth, carried out by National Highways in 2021 on health and safety grounds. 

Graeme Bickerdike, a HRE Group member, said: “Destructive forces were at work here.

Eastern Daily Press: An archive photo of the Congham bridge, pictured while the railway still ran beneath itAn archive photo of the Congham bridge, pictured while the railway still ran beneath it (Image: M&GN Trust)

“A legacy bridge with historical significance and perhaps a future cycling role was put beyond use for liability reduction purposes.”

Mr Bickerdike said the bridge - which was one of only three surviving examples of its kind - was only suffering from “cracks and other minor defects” and that the infilling was not necessary. 

But Hélène Rossiter, National Highways’ head of the HRE programme, said the issues were much more serious. 

“We infilled Congham Road Bridge in February 2021 because we viewed it as a public safety risk,” she said.

Eastern Daily Press: The underside of the Congham bridge, pictured before its infillingThe underside of the Congham bridge, pictured before its infilling (Image: Norfolk Disused Railways)

“When we took over management of the bridge it was in a very poor condition and had started moving. 

“As well as issues with the abutments, wingwalls and the state of the concrete encasement of the girders, a 2018 assessment concluded that the bridge had a 7.5-tonne capacity based on the edge girders.

“As a result of these problems and ongoing vandalism, infilling was the most cost-effective option.

“We consulted with the local planning and highway authorities beforehand, and they confirmed they had no objection to the works and that the scheme did not impact any of their active travel plans.”