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Thursday 17 Nov 2022

Meeting invitation to explain vital Whaley Bridge railway repairs

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Residents in Whaley Bridge are being invited to an information event to learn more about essential work next year to secure the future of the High Peak town's railway link.

Network Rail is investing £5.1m to replace a Grade II listed bridge which takes the railway over Buxton Road.

The bridge, which was built in 1863, needs to be replaced to keep rail passengers and the Whaley Bridge community safe for years to come.

Despite regular maintenance over the years, the bridge now needs to be significantly strengthened and undergo a major upgrade.

Without the work taking place there's a real risk a bridge bash by a high vehicle could stop trains above for many months, completely cutting off Whaley Bridge, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Dove Holes and Buxton from the railway network.

To explain how engineers plan to carry out this vital work, the project team is hosting a community information drop-in event on Wednesday 23 November 2022 at Whaley Bridge Uniting Church between 4-7pm. 

So engineers can replace the bridge safely, it is proposed that Buxton Road will need to be closed:

• From 9 January – 15 January 2023, there will be single line traffic under the structure. 
• From 16 January – 31 March 2023, the road will be fully closed to traffic.
• From 4 February – 5 March 2023, there will be no pedestrian access under the bridge. 

Helena Williams, project manager at Network Rail, said: “We understand that closing Buxton Road will cause residents disruption, which is why we have worked hard to make sure the full road closure is as short as possible. 

“Because of the bridge’s special heritage status, we have to preserve as many of its original features as possible, which means the work will take much longer than a standard bridge replacement. I hope to see the local community at our information event so we can share more information about our plans and address any concerns.” 

Network Rail has worked carefully with High Peak Borough Council and Historic England to make sure the work is carried out in consideration of the bridge's heritage status. 

The team will preserve around one third of the original structure and replace the rest of the bridge in-keeping with its original design.

This important preservation lengthens the time the work will take compared to a more straightforward modern bridge replacement.

Work to replace the bridge begins on 4 January and will be completed in April 2023.

From 17 February – 28 February 2023, there will be no railway services between Hazel Grove and Buxton, passengers are advised to check www.nationalrail.co.uk before travelling.