AN AUDENSHAW rail bridge which was the scene of a train derailment will remain closed for up to three months.
That means people wanting to walk from one end of Sidmouth Street to the other will have to make a lengthy diversion.
A freight locomotive, which was carrying aggregates, came off the tracks on the line between Denton and Ashton Moss on the morning of Friday, September 6.
Since then, the footpath which runs underneath the structure has been closed to pedestrians.
Currently, huge metal railings are blocking it, as props support the bridge.
And Network Rail has admitted it will take the long-term approach, meaning Sidmouth Street will be divided until April because it would be too expensive to make a temporary fix.
In reply to Audenshaw’s councillors, the body says: “The footpath underneath the bridge remains closed for safety reasons due to the shock the structure was subjected to as part of the derailment.
“The scaffold propping is helping to maintain the safe passage of freight trains above.
“The long-term repair plan for underneath the bridge is currently being planned. The design for this strengthening work is quite complex, which is why the fix underneath could not be completed at the same time as the repairs were carried out to the track above.
“Due to the current complexity of the structure, we are working hard to finalise the final designs early in the New Year.
“After which, we will then mobilise our specialist supply chain partners to complete the strengthening work in April that will allow the propping to be removed and the footpath to reopen.
“We have explored whether a temporary reopening of the footpath could be made in the meantime.
“The cost to complete this work-around until a long-term repair is made would be £200,000 over six months.
“There is quite a lot of work required for this temporary fix, as we would have to provide an access ramp and significantly modify the temporary works.
“We have concluded that the cost of this temporary work would not be the best use of our public funds, as it would divert our funding from other safety critical renewal work planned in Greater Manchester.”
Network Rail admits it knows people are not happy at the time being taken to fix the issues, even though it has provided a footpath diversion in the interim.
But it added: “We are extremely grateful for the patience of your local constituents while we plan the repairs to the bridge.
“We are very sorry for the disruption we have caused while we complete our repairs to the site.
“Our local community relations team will now progress a note to local households to keep them informed on the next steps.”
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch is still investigating the events of September 6 and fortunately, no-one was injured after residents reported hearing a loud screeching sound.
In an interim report, it stated: “At around 11:25am on September 6, 2024, a freight train travelling between Peak Forest and Salford derailed as it passed over a bridge in Audenshaw, Manchester.
“The train involved was made up of two class 66 locomotives and 24 wagons, which were loaded with aggregate.
“The two locomotives and the leading 10 wagons passed safely over the bridge, but the next nine derailed, with the last coming to a stand on the bridge itself.
“No injuries were caused by the accident. However, the derailment caused substantial damage to railway infrastructure and damaged some of the wagons involved.
“Our investigation will seek to identify the sequence of events that led to the accident. It will also consider the condition of the infrastructure at the time of the derailment, the status and condition of the wagons involved and any underlying management factors.
“Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry or by the industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.”