50 railway structures earmarked for demolition or infilling may now be spared after an independent review found that they could be used within for active travel schemes.

The website New Civil Engineer reports a government-ordered review carried out by Sustrans concludes that two-thirds of the 75 structures earmarked by National Highways for demolition or infilling could be useful as part of the National Cycle Network (NCN) or as local cycling and walking routes.

It says of those 50 schemes, 26 of them already have active travel route plans attached to them.

But the website adds that Sustrans does conclude that 25 of the schemes are unlikely to be useful as active travel corridors during the next 10 years. However this does not necessarily mean that they will be demolished or infilled as Sustrans review did not consider other possible uses for the routes, such as reinstatement of historic railway lines.

(Picture – National Highways)