NR NR/GN/CIV/200/07 ISSUE 2 PDF

This document covers primarily footbridges and subways for station environments but includes also a section on standard designs of footbridges for non-station environments. It is intended for projects at the initial stages of the design or of the project-requirements definition.

Purpose

Nearly all railway stations have to provide access for passengers across the railway line, in most cases via footbridges or subways. This guidance document sets out the principles and considerations for all new footbridges and subways and helps you in the selection of the best solution for your project.

Network Rail commissioned standard footbridge designs, and these should be the first options when considering a new footbridge. This guidance sets out the principles for these designs, and identifies the overall criteria when a bespoke approach may be more appropriate.

This document also explains the challenges faced when working with existing live infrastructure, or upgrading an existing structure. Many existing subways are poorly illuminated and inadequate, with issues such as water ingress. This document advises on how these can be invigorated and made more user friendly.

Guidance is also provided on how to create a new subway, and why subways can often provide greater benefits than footbridges.

The guidance refers to a range of Network Rail and external standards that can help the user with their project. A summary of Footbridge Requirements is provided in Appendix B, and it also contains assessment criteria for establishing whether footbridges require dispensation from Roof Cover and whether Lift provision can be dispensed with, in certain locations. Appendix D and E provide a breakdown of Carbon calculations and Capital cost for the standard footbridge designs.