By RNZ

KiwiRail has confirmed plans to shut pedestrian access to a popular bridge across the Hutt River.

The Ava rail bridge crosses Te Awa Kairangi Hutt River between the Ava railway station and Richmond Grove and includes a pedestrian path.

From February 24 next year, cyclists and walkers won’t be allowed to use it anymore.

The next closest access across the Hutt River is about 1km away, at either the Waione St bridge to the south or the Ewen Bridge to the north.

KiwiRail is closing the bridge to add new maintenance access as part of an upgrade, and it won’t have enough protection for the public to use it.

The ageing sleepers on the rail bridge would be replaced, KiwiRail general manager metros Jon Knight said.

“In Budget 2024, Government has made a significant $52.9 million investment in the Wellington metro network, which includes replacing the ageing sleepers and rail on the Ava bridge. This work is crucial to ensure Hutt Valley Line services can keep running and we need to get on to the upgrade – starting in February next year.

“The bridge and walkway are almost 100 years old. Unfortunately, the way the walkway was built – sitting on extended sleepers and attached to the bridge spans – is not allowed by modern engineering standards which will come into effect when our re-sleepering work begins.”

“We appreciate that the public walkway is used by locals, including high school students, to get across the Hutt River. However, standards have come a long way since the bridge was first built and we need to meet those modern safety requirements.

He said there were existing safety concerns regarding the walkway, which was not adequately separated from the rail line.

“A replacement walkway could be built, provided it is attached to the Ava bridge’s concrete piers. If this is something Hutt City Council wants to fund, we will work with them to make it happen.”

The Ava rail bridge is owned by KiwiRail, and the walkway by Hutt City Council.

- RNZ