Passengers and road users to benefit from railway upgrades in Atherton

Passenger journeys will be made more reliable next year when railway drainage and a bridge is replaced in Greater Manchester.

A £3m Great North Rail Project investment will see Shakerley Lane railway bridge in Atherton rebuilt and more than a mile of track drainage replaced.

This will better protect the track between Manchester and Hindley from flooding caused by heavy rainfall.

For the work to be carried out, a series of weekend railway closures will be needed, as well as the closure of Shakerley Lane.

Some train services will be diverted and buses will replace trains between Wigan Wallgate and Manchester Victoria via Walkden on:

Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 February 2021
Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 February 2021
Sundays 7, 14, 21 and 28 March 2021
Shakerley Lane railway bridge will be closed to the public from Monday 4 January until Friday 23 April.

Paul Hodson, head of capital delivery for Network Rail, said: “The work in Atherton as part of the Great North Rail Project will secure the future of this key Greater Manchester route for decades to come.

“As with any major project like this there will be some disruption and I’d like to thank passengers and local people for their patience.”

Chris Jackson, regional director at Northern said: “This vital work being carried out by Network Rail will improve the reliability of the railway in Greater Manchester and secure it for future use for our passengers.

“We will continue to work closely with colleagues across the rail industry to minimise the impact on our customers and I’d like to thank them in advance for their patience and understanding while the work is completed. Please remember to plan journeys ahead of time and check for the latest travel information.”

Passengers are reminded to continue following government COVID safety advice when using public transport.

People can get more advice and plan their journeys at www.nationalrail.co.uk or with their train operator.

Photo credit: Network Rail

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