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Monday 24 Mar 2025

One year of work to protect Manchester link to Europe's busiest mixed-used rail line

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North West & Central: North West

| North West & Central

Residents in Stockport are being reminded of the Greek Street roundabout closure on 31 March.

The year-long closure of the roundabout is part of Network Rail’s almost £20m investment to replace the aging bridge that crosses over the Manchester branch of the West Coast Main Line, Europe’s busiest mixed-use railway.

The original bridge, which was constructed in 1958, has reached the end of its life and needs to be replaced. The new bridge is designed to last for 120 years before it needs replacing again.

A video advert has been released by Network Rail which highlights how the bridge replacement work will benefit the community for future generations.

People in Stockport are advised to follow diversionary routes which will keep motorists, pedestrians and cyclists on the move during the work.

Olivia Boland, Network Rail sponsor, said: “We’re replacing the Greek Street bridge in Stockport to keep the railway below and road users above safe for years to come.

“We are very grateful for the cooperation of the local community during the work. I know that closing the roundabout for a year will disrupt the daily lives of the local community, and I am very sorry for the inconvenience this will cause.”

Network Rail has worked carefully with Stockport Council and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to establish safe and convenient diversionary routes during the major closure.

Cllr Grace Baynham, Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways and Transport Services at Stockport Council, said: "This is a significant project to protect Europe's busiest railway line that Stockport and its residents will benefit from on a daily basis once complete.

“While the year-long closure will bring challenges, the new bridge will ensure a safer and more reliable railway network for everyone.

“We're working hard alongside Network Rail and TfGM to help keep Stockport moving, ensuring signed diversion routes will be  in place to help ease the impact that this work will have on our communities."

Transport bosses at Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) have confirmed planned bus diversion routes to give passengers as much time as possible to plan their journeys during the disruption.

Danny Vaughan, chief network officer at TfGM, said: “The bridge at Greek Street is almost 70 years old and has now reached the end of its life, meaning it needs to be replaced to ensure the safety of road and rail users for generations to come.

“We know this will cause disruption and are working closely with partners to minimise the impact while these essential works take place.

“The closure is now just a week away and we have confirmed diversion routes for buses that usually use Greek Street to help people plan their journeys. These diversions may change due to the nature and length of the works so I would urge everyone to keep themselves up to date by checking the Bee Network website or app before they travel.”

Over Easter 2025, work will take place to prepare the railway for the bridge’s replacement this summer. There will be changes to train services between 19-22 April 2025. Passengers are advised to check National Rail Enquiries before they travel. Some services will be diverted around Stockport, whilst others will be replaced with a bus.

Demolishing and rebuilding the 58-metre-wide bridge will be a complex process. Over Christmas 2024, engineers constructed a temporary bridge to reroute existing utility services such as water and electricity. Once the road is closed, the road layout will be removed carefully in a way that does not damage the bridge structure while the railway is in operation.

From 2 - 23 August 2025, the bridge, which is made of about 200 concrete beams, will be demolished and the new bridge will be installed.  Then, the team will redirect the utility services, waterproof the bridge, and reinstate the road to the highest standard. 

Find out more about the work on the Network Rail project webpage.