Find out about Ash Road Bridge

The Ash Road Bridge scheme is an important infrastructure project to improve connectivity for the new homes in Ash.

The new Chester Bridge is now open to all vehicles and pedestrians.

The level crossing is closed to vehicles. Pedestrians and cyclists can still cross the railway at the level crossing, which closes around eight times an hour or 150 times a day.

The scheme will improve safety for residents and users of Ash train station. It will also reduce traffic congestion in the area and encourage traffic off rural roads.

Visit our Project Updates page for information on how the project is progressing.

Key dates

• preparation works July to August 2023
• main construction starts September 2023
• new bridge installation December 2023 to October 2024
• Foreman Road closures November 2023 to July 2024
• new link road and bridge open to traffic February 2025
• sectional completion Summer 2025

April 2025 

The new Chester Bridge is now open to all vehicles and pedestrians.

Phase 5 work is now complete. Traffic management and diversion routes have been removed.

Minor landscaping and drainage work continue to take place around the site.

February 2025

• Ash Road Bridge, now Chester Bridge, will open to traffic on Saturday 8 February
• it will form part of the diversion route for Phase Five of our Ash Road Bridge project.
• the work on Phase Five starts on Monday 10 February and will take approximately nine weeks. It involves:
  • closing the level crossing to motorised vehicles
  • closing the junction of Ash Church Road and Foreman Road temporarily
  • full-depth reconstruction of Ash Church Road between Britten Close and Foreman Road
  • diverting the Number 20 bus route temporarily
  • temporary traffic lights on Foreman Road to enable pedestrian access between Woodroffe Close and Meade Walk, to be reviewed after one week
  • installation of new parking spaces on Guildford Road between the Dover's Arms roundabout and the level crossing
• cars, light vehicles and the Number 20 bus will be diverted from Ash Street along Grange Road, Foreman Road, over the new bridge, along Leyscroftes Road and Stonehill Road, rejoining Guildford Road at the Dover's Arms roundabout, and vice versa.
• the bus stops at St Peter's Church, Ash Rail Station and Chester Road won't be in use.
• HGVs will be advised to take a longer diversion route from the A331, along the A31 and A3, then back to Ash via the A323. This is to reduce heavy traffic on the narrower roads of the diversion route. HGVs will be able to use the bridge at the end of Stage Five, in about nine weeks' time. Buses are being diverted over the bridge to enable passengers to get as close as possible to their usual stops
• maps of the diversion routes can be found on our traffic management page. 
• pedestrian and cyclist access to the railway station will be maintained throughout Phase Five, with a signed diversion between Grange Road and Ash Church Road

• pedestrians and cyclists will also still be able to cross the railway at the level crossing.

January 2025

We will be carrying out work on the exterior of the bridge this weekend, 18 to 20 January 2025.

The railway is being closed over the weekend, which will allow us to carry out the work safely.

We will be working on:

• Saturday 18 January overnight, 8pm to 6am
• Sunday 19 January daytime, 8am to 6pm
• Sunday 19 January overnight, 8pm to 4am Monday 20 January

The work will need lighting overnight and will entail drilling.

We apologise for any disturbance or inconvenience caused by our works.

The date for the start of Phase 5 works and the opening of the new bridge has not yet been confirmed. We are still waiting for the necessary sign-offs from Surrey County Council and Network Rail. VolkerFitzpatrick has submitted requests for diversion routes to Surrey County for 8 February as this is the earliest date the bridge could open after the approvals are received.

December 2024

Weekend working 7 to 8 December

• we will be carrying out bridge joint work this weekend between 8am and 6pm on Saturday 
• we have also been granted permission to work the same hours on Sunday as a contingency only, however, we are hoping this will not be needed
• we do not expect the work to be intrusive, but you may be aware of activity on the bridge
• we apologise for any disturbance or inconvenience caused by our works
• the site will be closed from Friday 20 December until Thursday 2 January
• Christmas trees have been delivered to St Peter's Church in Ash and St Mary's Church in Ash Vale. Donated by the landscape contractor which provided all the plants for Chester Bridge, the trees are now adding a touch of festive cheer in the church halls.
• the donated tree was used as a memory tree at St Peter's Church

November 2024

The Ash Road Bridge project is important because the closure of the level crossing will improve safety for local residents and users of Ash train station. It will also reduce traffic congestion in the area.  It will also provide much needed new connectivity for the new homes being developed in the local area.  

To open the bridge, Network Rail and Surrey County Council need to ensure it is safe, complies with regulations and get all the necessary paperwork in place. Some of these actions are taking longer than anticipated. Our goal is to work closely with Network Rail and Surrey County Council so that the bridge opens before road closures are needed. We will update our website with the latest information on a regular basis. 

For more information read our questions and answers.

October 2024

• We are planning to complete the installation to the Vehicle Restraint System over the new bridge next week, 7 to 11 October. The work will take place overnight between 00:40 am and 04:40 am to coincide with the overnight period when no trains are running.  However, we will be on site between 8pm and 6am.

  This work is planned to take place on:

• Monday night 7 October to 8 October
• Tuesday night 8 October to 9 October
• Wednesday night 9 October to 10 October

• Thursday night 10 October to 11 October

September 2024

• Network Rail is closing the railway line over the weekend of 14 and 15 September 2024. We are taking advantage of this closure to install the Vehicle Restraint System over the bridge. We, as an environmental health authority, have given permission for weekend working between 8pm Saturday 14 September and 5am Monday 16 September.

• the north embankment is in the settling period and backfilling to main structure is ongoing

• phase 4 started on 2 September. This involves installation of traffic calming measures on Grange Road
• low voltage cable installation to be completed this month
• completing the land drainage culvert wing walls on the north side

August 2024

• the main bridge structure wing walls are now complete on both sides
• phase 3 works complete. New roundabout has been fully constructed
• the concrete bridge deck is now fully cured
• Ash Youth Club received a £15,000 donation from VolkerFitzpatrick, Tony Gee and Sword Contracts to fund a youth worker for a year. This is part of the social value element of the project

July 2024

• resurfacing completed on Foreman Road between Ash Church Road and Vyne Walk
• phase 3 started on 15 July
• wing walls on the north side of the bridge completed
• bridge deck fully completed
• start fill for the north embankment
• visitors to the site:         
  • representatives from Homes England
  • local scout, cub and beaver groups
  • four students from Ash Manor School completed four days of work experience

June 2024 

• the beams are now in place, next the VolkerFitzpatrick team will be working on:
• the bridge deck, parapets and retaining walls 
• building the embankments and connecting them to the bridge deck

May 2024

• a significant milestone in the Ash Road Bridge project was reached over the early May Bank Holiday weekend. 19 bridge beams were installed over the railway. You can read more about it in our newsroom and watch live footage on YouTube (opens new window)

• phase two of the traffic management scheme will be in place from 15 May. You can view the traffic management schemes on our website

April 2024

• surfacing of Phase 1 of Foreman Road (Guildford Road to Foreman Park) is due to take place before the end of April following installation of curbs, edging and ducting
• key work ongoing for the structures on both the north and south sites to be ready for the beam installation in early May
• phase 2 of Foreman Road (Foreman Park to Vyne Walk) will now start in May. The traffic management will alter with Foreman Road closed from Foreman Park to Vyne Walk. This will only affect people driving to and from Foreman Park
• our contractor Volker Fitzpatrick Limited, scored 45 out of a possible 45 points at its latest Considerate Constructors Assessment on 11 April

March 2024

• diversions for British Telecom, water and high voltage cables were completed on Foreman Road
• drainage was being installed on Foreman Road Phase 1
• flood relief culvert on the north site was completed
• pile caps were installed on the north and south
• scaffolding and shuttering installed on the north abutment (supporting structure for the bridge) and is being progressed to the south abutment
• Year 10 students from Ash Manor school visited the site on 20 March

February 2024

• we, as environmental health authority, have given permission for weekend working until the first May Bank Holiday, 6 May 2024. Our contractor has agreed to adhere to stringent noise limits. This is so we can meet important deadlines
• piling is now complete on both the north and south sites
• the new Foreman Road roundabout (opposite Vyne Walk) is progressing well
• kerbs have been installed on the new roundabout and southside embankment
• the drainage pond has been dug for the northside embankment
• drainage pipes are being installed at north end of Foreman Road
• the Foreman Road entrance to site has been surfaced and the wheel wash is working

Continuous Flight Auger (CFA) piling complete, south wing walls.

Blinding complete, north west wing wall.

January 2024

• the piling rig will move back to the south site on Friday 26 January
• we hope that piling will be completed by the middle of February

December 2023

• piling work is taking longer than planned on the south side of the site. This is due to poor weather and unexpected ground conditions. We, as environmental health authority, has given permission to extend working hours on site to enable the piling to be completed by the end of January
• when necessary, work will go on until 8pm Monday to Friday
• our contractor, Fitzpatrick (VFL), raised £1000 from its supply chain to buy Christmas presents for children whose families receive food parcels from the Ash Villages Food Parcel Project (opens new window)

Pictured above are members of the Food Parcels Project team, some of the VFL team and Cllr Carla Morson.

October 2023

South side of railway

• site set-up for the main offices including parking for project staff
• construction and testing of the south piling mat before piling starts in November
• main embankment constructed and continues to settle. This can take several weeks

North side of the railway

• satellite welfare facilities for staff installed
• construction and testing of the north piling mat
• main embankment construction to roof of the new flood relief culvert
• Orchard Farm land raising almost complete
• excavation and topsoiling of flood attenuation areas

September 2023

We held two drop-in sessions in September for residents in Ash who wanted to find out more about the project.

July 2023

• Volker Fitzpatrick has been appointed as the main contractor for the project
• site preparation and pre-construction began on Monday 24 July
• construction work starts in September 2023
• the work is expected to take approximately 18 months

The new Chester Bridge is now open to all vehicles and pedestrians.

Traffic management and diversion routes have been removed.

Detailed maps

View Ash Road Bridge detailed maps:

• Highway Site Plan General Arrangement (PDF, 1012 KB)
• Phasing drawings (PDF, 6 MB)

You can contact us to:

• ask questions
• provide feedback or
• subscribe to regular updates and a quarterly newsletter

by emailing ashroadbridge@volkerfitzpatrick.co.uk

Is the bridge open?

The new Chester Bridge is open to all vehicles and pedestrians.

What was involved in the Phase 5 work?

• Chester Bridge opened to cars and light vehicles on 8 February 2025.
• Phase 5 work began on 10 February 2025. Diversion routes were removed on 16 April 2025.
• The Phase 5 work included:
  • Full depth road construction of the section of Ash Church Road between the level crossing and Britten Close
  • Utility diversions: gas and electricity 
  • Surface water drainage
  • Street lighting installation
  • Street furniture installation
  • Block paving
  • Kerbs and edgings
  • Traffic signage and road markings

Has the diversion for HGVs been removed?

Yes, the diversions have been removed, and the bridge is open to all vehicles

When will all the works complete?

We are still on programme to deliver the main bridge and landscaping construction works by the summer of 2025. The bridge is now open, and minor landscaping and drainage work is taking place around the site.

Additional drainage work close to the bridge site is due to take place in November 2025.

Can I claim compensation for the impact the new bridge has had on my property?

• You may be able to claim compensation under Part 1 of the Land Compensation Act 1973 when the bridge has been open for a year. This principally relates to any reduction in the market value of your property linked to physical factors caused by the scheme such as light, noise and fumes. Find out how to claim after the road's been open for 1 year. (opens new window)
• Report an issue with air quality.
• There is no general statutory requirement for a local authority to provide financial assistance to a nearby homeowner to help them move home if they do not want to live near a proposed development.

How can I keep up to date? 

• Visit our website
• Subscribe for email updates by emailing AshRoadBridge@VolkerFitzpatrick.co.uk