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Thursday 29 May 2025

Ten weeks until roundabout and railway bridge replaced in Stockport

Region & Route:

North West & Central

| North West & Central: North West

Rail passengers are being advised of major work to rebuild a railway bridge in Stockport which will see a three-week closure of the Manchester spur of the West Coast Main Line this summer.

The Greek Street bridge is being demolished and rebuilt over 21 days between 2-23 August as part of a £20m Network Rail investment to benefit both the road and rail network.

During that time no trains will be able to run through Stockport with rail replacement buses in operation.

More details of the specific travel arrangements will be revealed in the coming weeks.

The original bridge, which was constructed in 1958, has put in 67 years of service but now needs to be replaced with a modern structure which will last for up to 120 years.

William Brandon, Network Rail’s project manager, said: “The work to strengthen Stockport is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make train journeys on the Manchester spur of the West Coast Main Line safer and more reliable.

“I understand that closing the railway through Stockport for 21 days will be inconvenient to our passengers, and I am sorry about this.

“Between 2 – 23 August this year, I’d advise passengers to plan ahead and allow extra travel time for their journey.”

In March 2025, the Greek Street roundabout, that sits on top of the structure, was closed to traffic.

Since then, Murphy, the contractor working on behalf of Network Rail, has been hard at work preparing the site for its big moment this summer.

Engineers have been working closely with utility companies to safely divert important services, such as water and electricity, out from below the road service and into a temporary bridge. This complex operation makes sure local communities have access to everything they need during the work.

In the weeks preceding the closure, the team will complete the utility diversions and deconstruct the road layer of the bridge. Once the bridge is ready to be replaced, two large cranes will be built on site ready to demolish and replace the bridge.

Network Rail has been working closely with train operators and Transport for Greater Manchester to arrange alternative travel options for passengers impacted by the work.

Details of alternative travel options will be shared in the coming weeks.

Lisa Magee, Avanti West Coast Station Manager at Stockport, said: “While there’ll be no trains to or from Stockport for 21 days, the station’s ticket office and underpass will be open as normal while the works take place and Avanti West Coast teams will be on hand to support those making journeys via rail replacement bus.

“Together with Network Rail and other train operators we’re finalising the timetable and will share more details in the coming weeks, so customers can plan their journeys in advance.

“We’d like to thank customers for their patience and understanding, and as always, we strongly encourage them to check the National Rail website, as well as with their train operators for the latest updates.”

 

Stephen Rhodes, TfGM’s Director of Bus, said: “The replacement of the Greek Street bridge is a once in a lifetime moment to ensure the safety of road and rail users for generations to come. 

“With a project of this scale there will always be disruption and by working closely with our partners we are looking to minimise this as much as we can and keep everyone on the move.

 “When the rail line is closed in August we’ll be accepting rail tickets on Bee Network buses in the area to help reduce the impact of the closure and make sure people can get where they need to be.” 

For more information about the project, visit www.networkrail.co.uk/greekstreet.