Raised kerbs to reduce risk of vehicles ending up on railway line

by Lisa Reeves

Monday 9^th October 2017

Mon 9^th Oct 2017

Officers from Cheshire East Highways carried out an inspection of the railway bridge on London Road/Wilmslow Road on Thursday, 28th September.

The inspection is in preparation for the raising of the kerbs and footpaths on the westerly side of the bridge, closest to the park, and follows an assessment by Network Rail.

Councillor Craig Browne explained "Network Rail have apparently carried out an assessment which has shown that there is currently a high risk of a vehicle ending up on the railway line in the event of an accident on the bridge itself. They are particularly concerned as it is naturally part of the West Coast Mainline infrastructure."

He added "Officers from CE Highways have been carrying out their own assessment over recent days and have concluded that the most effective way to minimise any potential risk is to raise the height of the kerb and the footpath. They have confirmed that unfortunately there will need to be a week-long closure of Wilmslow Road in order to carry out the work, but that they intend to tie this in with the planned resurfacing of Wilmslow Road to minimise disruption to residents and businesses."

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Paul Mcwilliam

Monday 9^th October 2017 at 3:06 pm

Do the work at night, keep one side open with a traffic flow, do it at the weekend.
If it needs doing, do it as quick and painlessly as possible.
A week long closure is not realistic!

Andy Horsey

Monday 9^th October 2017 at 8:53 pm

So , we build a by pass which was supposed to relieve the village of traffic and then someone says there is a problem at the railway bridge ( which has been like this for years )
What is going on here it’s been like this for years and now someone has come up with the idea that we need to raise the kerb and footpath which has been like this for years because of a high risk of an accident causing vehicles to maybe get vehicles on the track
If this is the case why the hell wasn’t it done years ago ???

Elizabeth Mooney

Tuesday 10^th October 2017 at 7:52 am

Agree about the road closures and they SHOULD have done this in the Summer when the school traffic has abated. They put a blanket road closure in for Styal Road (during the summer) without informing either the airport or Quarry Bank Mill this year. I spoke to the manager at Quarry Bank Mill who told me that they had not factored in how the closure would affect their peak times.

Tuesday 10^th October 2017 at 11:21 am

Jeremy Wright

Tuesday 10^th October 2017 at 2:53 pm

I have been wondering how large the pile of cars that has fallen off the bridge will get before action is taken. It's clearly been a problem for ages and I'm glad that the powers that be are spending what I assume is taxpayers money on this. It must be a nightmare for the train drivers having to keep stopping every time a car fall off the bridge.
SAID NO ONE EVER............

Karen Robinson

Tuesday 10^th October 2017 at 5:02 pm

I suggest that a 30 foot stone brick wall with a width of 10 foot is built along side the railway track from the beginning of the beech road allotments right through to Chorley hall lane as these more chance of a de-railment on the tracks than a vehicle going onto the tracks. What a waste of money !

Duncan Herald

Wednesday 11^th October 2017 at 9:30 am

While they are at it, with the road closed,why not put in the oft discussed second footpath, on the side over the bridge where there is no footpath at all.

It was measured out a few years ago and Highways said there was room for a footpath.

It would also act as a slowing down effect on traffic approaching the Heyes Lane/London Road junction, by narrowing the road.

Indeed why not do the other peice of work that has been debated afore i.e. rip up the tarmac on the bridge and re-instate the cobbles that are under the tarmac. That would absolutely slow the traffic entering the village.

Karen: good idea and it would keep the picts at bay? it worked for Hadrian!

Fiona Doorbar

Wednesday 11^th October 2017 at 4:24 pm

I agree Duncan...the bridge junction is terrible to negotiate. Plans for work on Chorley Hall bridge should be scrapped and monies moved over to sort this problem area out before there is a serious accident.

Francis Grundy

Thursday 12^th October 2017 at 3:30 pm

If this is a danger what about the other side of the bridge where vehicles travel much closer to the wall?