Viaduct down for busway project

An artist's impression of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway

A disused viaduct which spanned the River Ouse in Cambridgeshire has been removed ready for a new bridge.

The bridge, near St Ives, is being built to carry thousands of passengers on the £116m Cambridge Guided Busway.

The busway project aims to provide reliable and frequent public transport between St Ives and Cambridge.

The new bridge will carry two lanes for the busway and a maintenance track which can be used as a bridleway for horseriders, cyclists and walkers.

Work on the bridge is expected to take around a year to complete.

The old railway viaduct crossed the River Ouse between St Ives and the lakes area.

Bob Menzies, head of delivery for the Guided Busway, said: "Due to the condition of the old viaduct the spans had to be removed to make way for a stronger and wider bridge.

"We would like to remind people that this is a building site and so there will be no public access until we open the whole of the Guided Busway in Spring 2009."