Work to complete and open the pedestrian route across East Croydon Station is set to begin, with Network Rail’s appointed contractor taking possession of the site on 19 August.
B&M McHugh will initially carry out surveys, investigations and site set-up before construction work gets under way. Network Rail is writing to residents living near the railway to provide further information about the work.
The latest milestone follows the completion of funding agreements between Croydon Council, Network Rail and Menta Regeneration in July. The necessary planning approvals are also in place, allowing the project to move from planning into delivery.
Once completed, the bridge will be fully open to pedestrians at both ends for the first time. It will provide a direct and accessible connection between Addiscombe, East Croydon Station and the town centre, making journeys easier for residents, commuters and visitors.
Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon, said:
“This is the moment residents have been waiting for. The agreements have been signed, the approvals are in place and the contractor is now preparing to move onto the site.
“People understandably want to see action. From 19 August, that work begins. The first stage will focus on surveys, investigations and preparing the site, before the main construction work follows.
“My administration has worked closely with Network Rail and Menta to overcome the remaining obstacles and get this long-awaited project moving. Once the bridge is complete, it will provide a much better connection between Addiscombe, the station and our town centre.
“This is another important step in our work to regenerate central Croydon, improve the experience of people coming into the borough and create the infrastructure needed to attract new investment. I will continue working with our partners to keep the project moving until the bridge is finally open to the public.”
The bridge is expected to be completed in 2027.
The project forms part of Mayor Perry’s wider £40 million programme to make central Croydon more welcoming, better connected and easier to navigate. Ten projects are benefiting from the programme, including improvements to Dingwall Road, George Street and Wellesley Road.
Why has this work taken so long?
The bridge was originally announced in 2010 as part of a major investment to improve access to one of the country’s busiest stations. The first phase opened in late 2013, creating a new entrance on Dingwall Road. The second phase, linking the station to Cherry Orchard Road, was intended to follow quickly.
Instead, it stalled.
From 2014, when Labour took control of Croydon Council, through to 2022, no meaningful progress was secured. The Council failed to ensure public access from developers on the eastern side, leaving the bridge unusable and residents stranded with an unfinished structure above the tracks.
When Jason Perry became Executive Mayor in 2022, he inherited a project that had sat incomplete for nearly a decade. His administration made completing the bridge a priority. By 2024, the barriers on the eastern approach were coming down and access routes were finally being opened. Joint work between the Council, Network Rail and Menta Regeneration then moved forward at pace, clearing the way for this week’s milestone.
With a contractor appointed and works scheduled to begin, Croydon is finally on course to secure the safe, direct east-west link the town has been promised since 2010.
This is the result of determined, focused leadership. What had become a symbol of stagnation is now a clear example of Croydon moving forward under Mayor Perry.
