Fresh pressure is to be brought to bear over a bottleneck railway bridge which council leaders say is preventing faster and more reliable Norfolk train services.

The Trowse swing bridge, on the edge of Norwich, is seen as a key stumbling block in speeding up train journeys and increasing services.

The railway line over the bridge carries almost all train services from outside Norfolk into Norwich, including the London and Cambridge lines.

But the bridge, which opens to allow river access to the historic port of Norwich - a legal requirement due to an Act of Parliament - is single track, limiting how many trains can cross.

Trowse swing bridgeTrowse swing bridge

There have long been calls for it to be made double track, with studies to explore the benefits.

Discussions with Network Rail have taken place, as part of talks over the East Norwich regeneration project.

That scheme, close to the bridge, involves plans for new homes and businesses at Carrow Works, the Deal Ground and May Gurney sites in Trowse, plus the Utilities site near Whitlingham.

The Carrow Works siteThe Carrow Works site (Image: Fuel Properties)

The proposed inclusion of a marina as part of the East Norwich project is significant.

That would mean the legal requirement, enshrined by an Act of Parliament, for vessels to be able to access Norwich could still be met.

And that would reduce the cost of making Trowse bridge double track, because the bridge could be fixed, rather than engineered to open.

But, with no firm commitments over replacing it, county councillors are determined to keep pressuring National Rail, rail operators and the government.

They want to use a new wish list of rail improvements - Norfolk County Council's draft rail prospectus - to reinforce how vital a replacement bridge is.

Barry StoneBarry Stone (Image: Norfolk County Council)

Councillors discussed the draft rail prospectus at a recent meeting, where Barry Stone, Conservative councillor for Clavering, said: "Trowse Bridge has been a bugbear and a bottleneck for years."

Martin WilbyMartin Wilby (Image: Archant)

Fellow Conservative Martin Wilby, who represents East Depwade, said: "I am not, I am sure, the only one frustrated at the time it takes get rail projects delivered."

He said it seemed to be taking a "lifetime" to replace the bridge at Trowse and to get improvements to the Ely junction, also seen as crucial for rail in the region.

While the council has no direct control over the railways, County Hall officers says the rail prospectus can influence decision-makers.