Media centre

Thursday 30 Sep 2004

MAJOR STOCKPORT ROAD / RAIL BRIDGE TO GET THOROUGH ‘HEALTH CHECK’

Region & Route:

Network Rail is to carry out a thorough ‘health-check’ on the road-over-rail bridge that supports the Greek Street roundabout and Booth Street in Stockport, as part of a national programme to assess the strength of railway bridges. As a result of the work, parts of the roundabout and Booth Street will have to be closed each Sunday until the end of November while Network Rail exposes the bridge decking to check the superstructure below. The work will be carried out in three phases. Phase 1 will close the north side of the roundabout, affecting the junctions with Greek Street and King Street West/Shaw Heath. The direction of traffic along Booth Street will be reversed to facilitate the diversion. This phase will be carried out on 3, 10 and 17 October. Phase 2 will close the south side of the roundabout, affecting the junctions with Shaw Heath and Mercian Way. This is due to take place on 24 October, and 7 and 14 November. Phase 3 will close Booth Street on 31 October, and 21 and 28 November. The inspections are part of a programme to check all 10,000 road-over-rail bridges throughout the country following a change in EU regulations, which allows heavier lorries on our roads.