This Autumn will see two railway bridges at Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire upgraded. The essential work will be carried out on the bridges by Network Rail.

The Reservoir Road bridge in the town centre will be rebuilt. Waterproofing work will be carried out on the bridge over Bridgemont. The work is all part of a £3m Great North Rail Project.

Various closures to roads, car parks and the railway itself will be needed to allow the work to take place.

The railway line will be closed on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th November, with rail replacement bus services in operation.

Roads will be open as much as possible, but closures and diversionary routes will be in places when needed.

Local residents and businesses have been invited by Network Rail to find out more about the works, between 3 pm and 6 pm on Wednesday 23rd September. DUe to government guidance, anyone wanting to attend must book an appointment by emailing [email protected].

Calum Gardner, scheme project manager for Network Rail, said: “The work on these two railway bridges as part of the Great North Rail Project will secure the future of the railway through Whaley Bridge for decades to come.

“As with any major project like this, there will be some disruption for local people. I’d urge anyone who could be affected to book an appointment to come and talk to us about the project and find out about the possible impact it could have on them.”

Councillor Anthony Mckeown, leader of High Peak Borough Council, said: “This investment in improving the infrastructure will safeguard this route which is a vital link both between towns within the High Peak and to and from Manchester.

“With any major work of this nature, some disruption is unavoidable, and I welcome the measures our partners have put in place to minimise this and to engage and work with the local community where possible.”

Chris Jackson, regional director at Northern, said: “The improvement and repair work will have a significant positive impact for our customers in and around Whaley Bridge.

“Though there will be some disruption, this vital work will futureproof services in the area and will give our customers a more resilient railway.

“We continue to work closely with colleagues across the rail industry to minimise any disruption caused and will provide rail replacement transport to ensure those who rely on our services are still able to get where they need to be.”

Robert Largan, MP for High Peak, said: “I’m pleased that Network Rail has announced the upgrade of these two essential bridges.

“It’s important that we continue to invest in improving and maintaining our local environment and infrastructure for years to come.”

Passengers can plan ahead and check their journey details before they travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk

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