Hindley station in Greater Manchester will close for three months while Network Rail continues with its electrification of the railway between Wigan and Bolton.

Between Monday 13 March and Friday 14 July 2023, the station will be shut while work is carried out to extend its platforms to increase the number of passengers who can use the station. At the same time, nearby Ladies Lane railway bridge will be demolished and replaced, with the road closed to allow the work to take place.

The bridge, which was built in the 1840s, is one of seventeen railway structures to be overhauled in preparation for high-voltage overhead electricity cables to be installed as part of the electrification project. Wigan Council approved the work despite concerns about demolishing the historic structure.

The electrification project will see Network Rail investing £78m to upgrade the 6.5-mile stretch of railway, with the aim of running cleaner and more environmentally-friendly trains.

During the closures, there will be a diversion route in place for road users. A temporary walkway will allow pedestrians and cyclists (who will be required to dismount) access over the railway line, but the walkway will close from 6 to 8 May when cranes are deployed to lift heavy bridge components.

The rail service will close between Saturday 6 and Friday 12 May, with replacement buses carrying passengers between Wigan North Western, Westhoughton, Daisy Hill, Ince and Lostock. Passengers planning to travel by rail 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’re progressing with this major project to electrify the railway between Wigan and Bolton and bring cleaner, greener and longer trains in the future to this key route in the North West.

“This next phase of work will make sure Ladies Lane bridge will be compatible with the complex web of overhead wires when they are installed. The work at Hindley Station and Ladies Lane bridge will bring some disruption to road users and rail passengers. I’d like to thank people in advance for their patience and to remind them to check before they travel while we carry out this important work to transform the railway for the future.”

Chris Jackson, regional director at Northern, said: “All investment in rail infrastructure that will improve the customer experience is very much welcomed. These alterations at Ladies Lane bridge are an important part of the electrification process of the Wigan to Bolton line and I’d like to thank passengers that would normally use Hindley station for their co-operation while the work is carried out.”