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Monday 24 May 2021

Public invited to learn more about Warrington rail bridge upgrades

Region & Route:

North West & Central

| North West & Central: North West

Passengers and residents in Warrington are being informed about work to upgrade two railway bridges later this year.

Network Rail has announced major work to replace Bewsey Street and Foundry Street bridges near Warrington Central as part of a £5m Great North Rail Project investment.

Both structures will be completely rebuilt to help keep the railway safe and reliable for passengers and freight services for decades to come.

The work begins in July and will involve a three-day closure of the railway between Warrington Central and Liverpool stations over the August bank holiday weekend.

Passengers are advised to plan ahead and check before they travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk

Local people have been invited to find out more about the work during a virtual information event which Network Rail staff are hosting on Wednesday 9 June.

Kathryn Berry, scheme project manager for Network Rail, said: “We’re replacing two railway bridges in Warrington this summer as part of the Great North Rail Project which will help keep trains running reliably between Warrington and Liverpool for decades to come.

“We’ve written to local people about the work and invited them to speak with us before work begins. We’d like to thank passengers and residents in advance for their patience while we carry out these essential bridge upgrades.”

Anyone wanting to book a time slot to ask questions between 4pm and 7pm needs to register by emailing CRNW@networkrail.co.uk, with the words “Bewsey Street and Foundry Street”.

Chris Jackson, regional director at Northern, said: “The improvements, made as part of the Great North Rail Project, will help deliver more reliable and punctual journeys for our customers.

“We are working closely with colleagues at Network Rail to keep disruption to a minimum, but the scale of the work does mean journeys will be affected during the August bank holiday.

“We are still developing plans to ensure we can get customers where they need to be but I’d like to thank them in advance for their understanding and patience during the improvement work.”

Andy Carter, MP for Warrington South, said:  “It is always great to see more investment coming to Warrington to improve our local transport infrastructure. This £5m cash injection near to Warrington Central Station will improve the reliability of services and ensure passengers aren’t held up by freight trains.

“As restrictions have lifted, we are already starting to see increases in railway usage. There will be much pent up demand for people wanting to travel to and from work again and to go on trips to Liverpool and Manchester, so these improvements are much welcomed.”

Cllr Hans Mundry, Warrington Borough Council cabinet member for highways, transportation and public realm, said: “This important work will bring a real boost to the rail network between Warrington and Liverpool. While there will be some short-term disruption while the work is carried out, the long term benefits are clear, with improved safety and smoother, more reliable rail journeys for passengers, for many years to come.”

During construction work, the footpaths beneath both bridges will be closed to the public and a clearly signposted diversion will be in place.

For more on how we maintain railway structures visit: www.networkrail.co.uk/bridges-tunnels-and-viaducts/