An area of Manchester has had its roads dug up for over a year due to an old railway tunnel, but it has now been revealed the repairs will not be complete until summer 2023.
Whitefield’s green was removed in March 2021 after inspectors found an iron support beam in a Victorian railway, underneath the current Metrolink, had a fracture and was unstable. As a result, a big hole was dug underneath the turf for further inspection, Manchester Evening News reported.
Since then, temporary measures have been put in place to ensure the tunnel is safe, while engineers investigate the structure, which is thought to have been built in 1876, more thoroughly.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has now stated the area will continue to face disruptions for another year, as the repair work is more complicated than they initially thought.
Head of Metrolink Danny Vaughn stated: “The work required to repair the damaged iron structure in the tunnel is complex and requires the major diversion of multiple utilities, including gas, water and electric, as well as significant repair and replacement of structural components.”
He added that as the work is intensive, it cannot occur at the same time as other planned projects, which is why it has been pushed back to spring/summer 2023.
Until then, the area has been made safe and TfGM is considering how to tidy up Whitefield’s green in the meantime.
Among the other improvements TfGM is making to the city are new crossings in Bolton, Oldham, Stockport and Wigan to better protect walkers and cyclers in those areas.
Get in touch with concrete repair specialists in the UK today.