Rail works to disrupt journeys across Manchester

Manchester Victoria station will be closed to passengers every Sunday until 17 April to allow for work on the Ordsall Chord and improvements to the Calder Valley line.

The works will incorporate other projects to minimise future disruption, including electrification between Manchester and Stalybridge. Metrolink will not be affected and the stop will remain fully accessible to passengers.

Earlier this week it emerged that the Ordsall Chord, a piece of rail infrastructure to increase capacity across the North, linking Manchester’s Victoria, Oxford Road and Piccadilly Stations, was facing a fresh legal challenge from objector Mark Whitby.

Whitby, a rail engineer who was originally on the design panel that chose the route for Ordsall Chord – until he quit after his preferred option was not selected – has been granted leave to appeal by Court of Appeal. The decision follows the rejection by the High Court in October 2015 of three separate legal challenges brought by Whitby.

Additionally, this weekend sees the first of two back-to-back weekend closures on the Manchester to Bolton line that will allow Network Rail to complete the Farnworth Tunnel upgrade and remove the speed restriction currently in place. Bus replacement services will be in operation for the duration of the disruption.

Amanda White, head of rail at Transport for Greater Manchester, said: “There are a number of significant improvement works happening this weekend that may affect travel, particularly for rail passengers.

“Both sets of works are vital to futureproof the rail network and will ultimately allow Network Rail and train operating companies to deliver faster more frequent services across the north.

“Metrolink is unaffected by the closure of Manchester Victoria, with the stop there remaining fully accessible, and a full bus replacement service will be operating while work at Farnworth Tunnel is completed.”

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