The target date for reopening the railway bridge is Monday 3rd September, provided the utilities company turn up and complete their repairs this weekend.
Councillor Craig Browne said "I'm pleased to confirm that Cadent Gas completed their repairs to the gas pipe last Wednesday, but we have since been waiting for the utilities company to come out and repair the leaking water pipe, as well as filling the void that has been created by the running water. It is believed that when the utilities company finally arrived on site on Tuesday, a power cable supplying London Road was damaged.
"Fortunately, Electricity North West have been able to isolate the damaged cable without loss of supply to any of the businesses, although as a result the adjacent lamp column will be temporarily out of action.
"The utilities company have now promised to work over the weekend, in order to complete their repairs. This is entirely in their hands, but provided they keep their promise, the works to the footpath and road surface will recommence on Monday."
He added "I would like to thank CE Highways for committing extra staff to the bridge next week, in an effort to ensure that the work is complete by Monday 2nd September in time for the schools reopening."
Comments
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Who would go back to the bus now if they can afford a car!?
The Gas Man Cometh by Flanders & Swan
'Twas on a Monday morning
The gas man came to call
The gas tap wouldn't turn, I wasn't getting gas at all
He tore out all the skirting boards
To try and find the main
And I had to call a carpenter to put them back again
Oh, it all makes work for the working man to do!
'Twas on a Tuesday morning
The carpenter came round
He hammered and he chiselled and he said:
"Look what I've found!
Your joists are full of dry-rot
But I'll put them all to rights."
Then he nailed right through a cable and out went all the lights
Oh, it all makes work for the working man to do!
'Twas on a Wednesday morning
The electrician came
He called me "Mr Sanderson" (which isn't quite my name)
He couldn't reach the fuse box
Without standing on the bin
And his foot went through a window so I called a glazier in
Oh, it all makes work for the working man to do!
'Twas on a Thursday morning
The glazier came along
With his blowtorch and his putty and his merry glazier's song
He put another pane in
It took no time at all
But I had to get a painter in to come and paint the wall
Oh, it all makes work for the working man to do!
'Twas on a Friday morning
The painter made a start
With undercoats and overcoats he painted every part
Every nook and every cranny
But I found when he was gone
He'd painted over the gas tap and I couldn't turn it on!
Oh, it all makes work for the working man to do!
On Saturday and Sunday they do no work at all
So 'twas on a Monday morning that the gas man came to call!
Laughing is better than the weeping that might be our first response to the events of the last month.