OREANDA-NEWS. Significant work is needed to maintain the bridge and to accommodate the improvements a road closure will be in place from Tuesday 26 May for 43 weeks.

The length of the closure is needed due to the extensive number of utility services which need to be diverted from the bridge. A short diversion route will be in place via Trinity Street and Thyme Street which has been agreed with the local authority. A footbridge diversion will also be in place.

Terry Strickland, area director for Network Rail, said, “This is a significant road closure in the centre of Bolton and we have carefully planned the work to be completed in the shortest, safest amount of time. These are essential repairs which are vital to maintain the safety of the bridge for years to come. We are also taking the opportunity to make alterations to the structure which will enable us to progress our investment in the railway.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank local people for their patience while we complete this vital work.”

The significant work on the bridge will take place during railway closures in place for Farnworth Tunnel improvements to minimise the impact on passengers. Wider maintenance work will also take place on the railway during the closures to minimise the need for future access.

About Network Rail

Network Rail owns, manages and develops Britain’s railway – the 20,000 miles of track, 40,000 bridges and viaducts, and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations (the largest of which we also run). In partnership with train operators we help people take more than 1.6bn journeys by rail every year - double the number of 1996 - and move hundreds of millions of tonnes of freight, saving almost 8m lorry journeys. We’re investing £38bn in the railway by 2019 to deliver more frequent, more reliable, safer services and brighter and better stations.