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Friday 21 Feb 2025

Passengers reminded of Salford rail closures this spring

Region & Route:

North West & Central

| North West & Central: North West

Work to build a third platform at Salford Crescent station means weekend closures in March, April, May and September.

Network Rail is investing £21m to build an additional, third platform at Salford Crescent station.

The new, extra platform will improve passenger flow and reduce train delays by allowing more flexibility and capacity for trains travelling through central Manchester and across the country.

Salford Crescent station is on the busy Manchester to Preston and Wigan lines, with services calling from across the North West and Scotland into Manchester and Manchester Airport.

In 2023/2024 the station handled almost 1.2 million entries and exits making it one of the busiest stations in Greater Manchester. 

The platform will give signallers more options to ease congestion through the station and the busy central Manchester rail network.

To carry out the work safely, this part of the railway needs to close for several weekends in 2025. There will be no trains through Salford for all weekends in March, and some weekends in April, May and September.

Kaseya Chisala, Network Rail sponsor, said: “The new third platform at Salford Crescent station will mean signallers can better organise how trains move through the area. Because of this work, passengers will have smoother, more reliable journeys both through Salford and across the North West.

“Closing the railway in Salford over some weekends this year is an essential part of how we can safely and efficiently deliver this upgrade.

“We’re sorry for the inconvenience this will cause our passengers. We’re grateful for your patience and understanding. Please check the National Rail Enquiries website to plan your journey.”

When the line is closed, rail replacement buses will run between Manchester to Bolton and Wigan stations. Some train services between Manchester, Wigan, Preston and beyond will be diverted via an alternative route.

Passengers are advised to check before they travel to find out how their specific journey will be affected. Additionally, passengers for Salford Crescent will be able to use their rail tickets on Bee Network buses across the city to link to the station.

Craig Harrop, regional director for Northern, said: “All investment in rail infrastructure is to be welcomed and this work will have long term benefits for our customers across not only Greater Manchester but the wider North West. Rest assured, we are putting plans in place to ensure people can still get where they want to be during the improvement works.”

Work to improve Salford Central station is also taking place this year. Network Rail is working with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) on a £10m project to deliver important accessibility upgrades and improvements to the station building.

The station will include a new customer ticket office, information points and accessible toilets. There will also be signage for passengers to join up with the Bee Network, Greater Manchester’s vision for an integrated public transport system.

While this work is carried out, Salford Central station is closed to passengers until 21 April 2025.

Simon Elliott, head of rail at TfGM, said: “Greater Manchester is committed to improving transport infrastructure and our rail stations to deliver a truly integrated and sustainable transport network fit for the future. 

“The investment at both Salford Crescent and Salford Central will not only improve the passenger experience but help deliver a more reliable and connected railway that works for everyone.”

To stay informed about the across Salford this year, visit the Network Rail webpage.