Leven rail link: bridge parapets extended to make way for new £116m line

In a planning application submitted to the local authority this week, it said bridge parapets on both sites must be extended in height before electrifying the rail line. The works are all a part of the £116m Scottish Government funded Levenmouth Rail Link project.

Parapets are the safety barriers installed along the edges of bridges to provide protection for vehicles and pedestrians.The barriers at Windygates Bypass along the A915 are currently 1.5 metre high.

“It is proposed to extend the height of the existing bridge parapets by 400mm to ensure full compliance with electrification standards,” a planning statement said.

Likewise, the parapets on Cameron Bridge along Station Road must be extended by approximately 372mm. Neither bridge is listed or within a conservation area.

“These works are required to facilitate the reopening of the Leven Branch Line as part of the Levenmouth Rail project, which includes provision for a twin-track electrified line under this overbridge,” a statement from Network Rail said. “This letter is a request for the prior approval of the local authority for works which Network Rail proposes to carry out under permitted development rights.”

The rail link project will reconnect the area to the rail network, and there will be two new stations at Cameron Bridge and at Leven as part of the work. The opening of the line is expected as early as spring 2024.

Councillors will consider the application in due course.