Newtork Rail promises bridge will be sorted (From Leigh Journal)

Atherton's bridge of sighs will be rectified

7:40am Sunday 5th February 2012 in News

ATHERTON'S 'bridge of sighs' will be up to scratch before contractors leave the Bolton Road site.

Reader A Robinson contacted the Journal with a list of complaints about the newly constructed bridge over the railway which he had forwarded to members of Wigan Council.

The letter claimed concrete slabs were already showing signs of cracking; repairs were not working due to the concrete not binding together; mis-matched mortar and brickwork; misaligned parapets and the structure was aesthetically unappealing.

In response Mark Tilley, Wigan council’s head of infrastructure, explained: “The project is being built by Network Rail and not by Wigan Council.

"The works are currently underway and the contract won’t be complete until March. Ahead of this, all parties have worked hard to allow traffic to use the bridge before the main works are finished. "The council is aware of the current progress and the contractor will shortly be working on the approach parapets.

"The “cut outs” in the bridge parapets are in fact the locations of the lifting points for the main beams. These will be installed with matching material, which will be on site shortly.

"Regarding the aesthetics, this type of bridge parapet is the only fully compliant solution for road bridges over railway lines, recommended and designed by Network Rail and being fitted all over the country.”

A Network Rail spokesman said: "Mr Robinson is probably right but all these problems will be rectified before the contractors go off site."