Media centre

Tuesday 28 Jan 2014

Second bridge to be rebuilt as part of North West Electrification Programme

Region & Route:

Work is to start to rebuild a second bridge in Ashton-under-Lyne as part of a £400m electrification project which will deliver a better railway across the north of England.

Oldham Road is one of four bridges need to be rebuilt within Tameside over the next 18 months to create sufficient clearance for overhead power lines which will power trains from December 2016.

Network Rail will rebuild the bridge on Oldham Road in Ashton-under-Lyne between Saturday 1 March and Friday 31 July. Local residents are being invited to find out more about how the work will affect them at an event at Ashton Town Hall next month.

Jon Clee, senior sponsor for Network Rail, said: “Electrification is an important part of our commitment to provide a better railway. It means we can boost capacity and provide more seats for passengers while reducing the cost of running the railway.

“This bridge replacement is one of the first key steps to electrify the trans-Pennine route from Manchester to Leeds via Huddersfield and is part of a wider programme of improvements that will transform rail travel in the north of England.”

The work to rebuild Oldham Road bridge will involve either single lane working or a full road closure. Network Rail has worked with local authorities to agree the road closures and diversionary routes and will be writing to residents and local businesses about the work. The changes are as follows:

• 1 March – 19 April: single lane closure (the road will remain open to traffic travelling northbound)
• 19 April – 24 May: full closure
• 25 May – 31 July: further single lane closure (the road will remain open to traffic travelling northbound)
• 1 March – 31 July: full road closure at the end of Boodle Street at the junction with Oldham Road
• 31 July: road fully reopens

Residents in Ashton-under-Lyne can find out more about the project at a drop-in session between 4pm and 7pm on Wednesday 5 February at Ashton Town Hall, Market Place, Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 6DL.

The North West Electrification Programme is being delivered in five phases between now and December 2016 and will see 352km of track electrified across the north west of England.

For further information, residents can contact Network Rail on 08457 11 41 41.