HS2 to start work on new improved Saltley Viaduct
posted on 2nd May 2026 10:54
HS2 engineers are ready to start a major construction programme in Saltley, two miles northeast of Birmingham city centre, to facilitate the arrival of new high-speed rail services. Saltley Viaduct, which spans a 183-metre section of the B4114, will close to vehicles and pedestrians on 10 May 2026, ahead of a four-stage demolition programme. It will be replaced with a new structure, two metres taller, to allow the high-speed railway to be built below.
The hugely complex operation - which will take up to 18 months to complete - is being led by HS2’s construction partner, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV). The works will be conducted in stages as Saltley Viaduct spans the Birmingham and Derby rail line, the Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal, and the River Rea. The demolition and construction programme has been meticulously planned to minimise closures and impacts on all three assets.
Saltley Viaduct is the second major road bridge to be reconstructed in the Saltley, Washwood Heath and Nechells area. The new Aston Church Road overbridge opened to vehicles and pedestrians earlier this year and will now form an essential part of the diversion route during the Saltley Viaduct works.
HS2 Ltd and BBV have worked closely with Birmingham City Council and Transport for the West Midlands throughout the planning stages, and extensive efforts have been made to establish safe and effective diversion routes – whether travelling by public transport, private vehicle, or on foot.
A vast network of utilities, concealed beneath the existing Saltley Viaduct, has already been rerouted ahead of works commencing and engineers are now in the final stages of planning. During the first phase of works, there will be changes to rail services between Birmingham and Derby for two weekends, from 6 - 7 June and 13 – 14 June, while engineers demolish the former Aston Church Road overbridge and a section of the Saltley Viaduct directly above the railway line.
The remaining east and west sections of Saltley Viaduct – which cross the River Rea and the Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal - will then be demolished. The canal will close to narrowboats and pedestrians from 14 July to 17 August, between Roving Bridge 97 and the M6 Viaduct at Salford Junction, while these works take place. A pontoon will be installed to facilitate access during the works and HS2 has worked closely with the Canal & River Trust to communicate the planned diversion route via the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal using Aston Locks.
The bridge’s new superstructure will be installed in sections, using two different construction methods. The span over the railway line will be fabricated on-site and then driven into position using a heavy-lift platform vehicle, known as a Self-Propelled Modular Transporter. This reduces the installation time and allows segments to be pre-assembled away from the structure due to space restraints. The remainder of the deck will be completed in sections, with cranes lifting the steelwork into position.
Once complete, the new Saltley Viaduct will be two metres higher than the current bridge, and four and a half metres wider, to provide additional space for cyclists and pedestrians.
