£23m St Anne’s Road bridge opens in Denton after three-year rebuild

A LONG-AWAITED new motorway bridge has opened in Denton, bringing an end to three years of disruption and restoring a key crossing over the M67.

The £23 million St Anne’s Road bridge was officially unveiled this week, with the ribbon cut by four pupils from neighbouring St Anne’s Primary School.

They were joined by the Reverend Philip Brierley from St Anne’s Church, who led a short blessing at the ceremony.

The replacement structure provides unrestricted access for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians and improves eastbound access to the M67. It also removes previous weight limits, meaning heavy vehicles can now use the crossing for the first time in years.

National Highways project manager Mangat Bansal said the scheme had involved complex challenges behind the scenes.

“It has been a privilege to deliver this scheme and work with the local community,” he said.

“Replacing the motorway bridge is the culmination of a lot of hard work, presenting unique engineering challenges with the bridge carrying vital utility services including water, gas, electricity and telecommunications to customers across a wide part of Greater Manchester.

“We thank the local community for their patience and understanding whilst the bridge has been closed for construction.”

It was delivered by National Highways in partnership with Tilbury Douglas, alongside contractors including HW Martin, Concrete Repairs Limited and Amey Consulting. Tameside Council’s highways team also worked closely with the project to manage local diversion routes.

The decision to replace the original bridge was taken after inspections showed it would require extensive repairs. A full replacement was judged the safest and most cost-effective option.

With the bridge now open, the temporary diversion route past the former Penny Farthing pub has closed, restoring a familiar link for local residents and commuters.