Southport passengers will be affected by railway closure from Saturday between Wigan and Bolton

Rail passengers are being advised of a six-day railway closure between Wigan and Bolton from this Saturday while work continues on the electrification of the line.

Network Rail is progressing with a £78m investment to upgrade the 6.5-mile stretch of railway* to enable electric trains to serve the key North West towns in the future.

In preparation for the installation of high-voltage overhead electricity cables, alterations need to be made to 17 railway structures along the route.

One of those is Ladies Lane bridge in Hindley and work began in March when the road was closed.

Now a six-day railway closure is needed for engineers to work in safety on the tracks without trains running.

To keep passengers on the move between Saturday 6 and Friday 12 May, replacement buses will run between Wigan North Western, Westhoughton, Daisy Hill, Ince and Lostock**.

People planning rail travel between Wigan and Bolton between those dates are being advised to check www.nationalrail.co.uk in advance and to 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.”
For more information on railway electrification visit: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/communities/living-by-the-railway/electrification/overhead-line-equipment/

*The 6.5-mile 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 in future.

** The work at Hindley from 6-12 May blocks the line completely for through services between Wigan and Manchester so buses will operate between Wigan to Bolton via Westhoughton and Wigan to Manchester via Atherton line (Ince, Hindley, Daisy Hill, Hagfold, Atherton, Walkden, Moorside, Swinton all affected stations.)

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.