Artist impression of one of the various footbridges along the HS2 route.

Rural footbridges

HS2 has revealed the first images of the bridges that will carry rural footpaths and bridleways across the new high speed railway as it passes through Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants.

Slide 1 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 2 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 3 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 4 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 5 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 6 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 7 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 8 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 9 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 10 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 11 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 12 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 13 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 14 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 15 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 16 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 17 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 18 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 19 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 20 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 21 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 22 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 23 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 24 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 25 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Slide 26 of 26: Artist impression showing footbridge design for rural Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and West Northants - by HS2 main works contractor EKFB working with designers ASC and architects Moxon.

Rural footbridge construction

In order to improve efficiency of manufacturing and assembly, all the bridges will have the same basic form, with the approach paths built into the earthworks on either side of the bridge. This also means that all the footbridges will effectively be step-free.

Designed with guidance from the British Horse Society, the bridges which carry bridleways will follow the same basic pattern, with a recycled, non-slip rubber deck and the structure acting like a baffle to stop horses being distracted by passing trains.

Footbridges will be 2.5m wide, while bridleways will be 3.5m wide to allow two horses to pass comfortably and safely.

The internal faces of the bridges feature oak panelling and perforated stainless steel to allow views along the railway.

Eleven locations have been identified for the new design – around Aylesbury, the Chilterns, Chipping Warden, Westbury and Finmere. Other footpaths and bridleways will share farm access bridges and road bridges or cross the line under viaducts or over the top of tunnels.

The footbridges were designed to handle the pressure waves created by trains passing underneath at speeds of up to 225mph (360km/h). EKFB’s designers developed bespoke engineering criteria to model the effect on the structure and design out uncomfortable vibration. As an extra precaution, the bridges can also be adjusted after construction to ensure the solution works.

The first footbridge is expected to be installed in October 2023.

Rural footbridge design

Made of weathering steel, the sides of the lightweight bridges will lean outwards to maximise views of the sky and improve the experience of people crossing the railway.

Weathering steel – which ages naturally to a russet brown colour – was chosen to help match the tone of the surrounding countryside, while the plates that form the structure of the bridges will be angled to appear narrower and lighter.

To emphasise the sense of lightness, each span will be slightly higher in the middle so that they appear to leap over the railway. Most of the bridges will consist of just one 42m span, with extra spans added where necessary to create bridges of up to 102m long.

The bridges were designed by HS2’s main work contractor, EKFB – a team made up of Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall – working with designers Arcadis Setec Cowi and architects Moxon.