Engineers working for the HS2 project have begun assembling a new bridge.

The HS2 route travels for 61 kilometres through Buckinghamshire through The Chalfonts, Central Chilterns and to the south-west of Aylesbury and runs for 5.3 kilometres across north-east Oxfordshire.

The new green bridge at Turweston, near Brackley, will carry a country lane and footpath with space on either side to provide a safe corridor for small animals, insects and birds.

It will be planted with hedgerows and vegetation to provide cover for wildlife crossing one of the longest and deepest cuttings on the new high-speed railway.

READ MORE: Live updates - major delays building after crash on A40

It is one of 16 similar bridges on the HS2 project which will run between London Euston and Birmingham Curzon Street after the northern leg was cancelled by the previous Conservative government.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in last month’s Budget that HS2 would eventually reach Euston rather than terminate at Old Oak Common in west London.

With the foundations now complete, engineers have begun lifting the thirty-six massive steel beams that will support the 99metre wide structure.

They will support a concrete deck formed of pre-cast slabs which will support 2,700 cubic metres of earth to complete the landscaping.

Once the main structure is complete, excavation will continue beneath the bridge to complete the cutting in which the track will be laid.

Aerial view of the installation of the bridge (Image: HS2 Ltd)

This cutting will stretch for 1.5 miles between the Westbury and Turweston viaducts on the outskirts of Brackley, helping to reduce noise and disruption for local residents.

READ MORE: Overnight closures on A34 in central Oxford for roadworks

Cameron Thompson, HS2 Ltd’s Head of Delivery, said: “Once complete, this impressive structure will help keep communities connected, while protecting wildlife and biodiversity on either side of the railway.

“Green bridges are relatively rare in the UK so it’s fascinating to see this project come together and I look forward to seeing it progress over the coming years.”

The bridge is thought to be one of the largest in the UK.