A busy railway line will close for SIX days from Saturday, with Network Rail bosses issuing an urgent warning today to all train commuters.
Engineering work under the ongoing electrification project will mean a full closure between Wigan and Bolton, until Friday, May 12. Network Rail said the work would block the line completely for through services between Wigan and Manchester.
As a result, replacement buses will run between Wigan North Western railway station, Westhoughton, Daisy Hill, Ince and Lostock, in Bolton.
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Network Rail said it was progressing with a £78m investment to upgrade a six-and-a-half mile stretch of railway to enable electric trains to serve the towns in the future.
The route has two railway lines running in either direction, which means a total of 13 miles of track will eventually have overhead electric lines installed above to power cleaner, greener trains.
Under the project, alterations need to be made to 17 railway structures in total along the route, one being the Ladies Lane bridge in Hindley, Wigan. Work began there in March when the road was closed and Network Rail said the six-day railway closure was needed for engineers to work in safety on the tracks without trains running.
Passengers planning to travel between Wigan and Bolton are being advised to check websites and allow extra time for their journeys.
Claire Davis, scheme project manager at Network Rail, said: "We’ve reached the stage the railway needs to close in this important project which will one day enable cleaner, greener trains to run between Wigan and Bolton.
"While rail replacement buses will be in operation to keep passengers on the move, journeys will take longer and I'd advise people to check National Rail Enquiries so they know exactly what to expect while travelling between 6 and 12 May.
"I’d also like to thank residents and businesses in Hindley for their continued patience and support while we carry out this major bridge upgrade, which will secure the town’s vital railway link for generations to come.”
Network Rail said the work at Hindley from would block the line completely for through services between Wigan and Manchester.
As a result, buses will operate between Wigan to Bolton via Westhoughton and Wigan to Manchester via Atherton, with Ince, Hindley, Daisy Hill, Hagfold, Atherton, Walkden, Moorside and Swinton all affected stations.
The railway bridge in Hindley, built in the 1840s, will be demolished and replaced as part of the electrification work. The work should finish by mid-July, with Hindley station also shut so platforms can be extended.
Network Rail said: "While Ladies Lane bridge is closed a diversion route is in place for road users. A temporary walkway will be provided during the construction work to allow pedestrian access over the railway line.
"Cyclists must dismount to cross the temporary walkway. The route will on occasion need to close when cranes are being used to lift heavy components of the new bridge structure when it is being rebuilt."
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