Planning permission has been granted for the major £5.1 million Network Rail project to reconstruct and partially replace a Grade II listed railway bridge in the centre of Whaley Bridge. 

The work will have a massive impact on residents and businesses, as well as bus and train services, as the road will be fully closed for 12 weeks.

Three information events are to take place in Whaley Bridge on Thursday (5 January) at Whaley Bridge Uniting Church from 10am to midday and 1pm to 3pm, and at the Mechanics Institute between 5pm and 7pm. 

Roadworks will be in place from 9 to 15 January with single line traffic under the Buxton Road bridge. Then from 16 January until 31 March the road will be completely closed at that location. 

The work will see four High Peak bus services - the 60, 61, 190 and 199 - all affected. For example, the 199 service from Buxton to Manchester Airport will no longer serve large areas of Whaley Bridge and Chapel. 

Buses will operate as normal to Market Street but, instead of continuing on Market Street, will turn right into Hayfield Road at Town End (flower shop) then rejoin the A6 at Aldi roundabout and along the bypass before resuming the normal route at Bridgemont. Buses from Manchester will operate the reverse.  

HGVs will be directed via the A5004 to Buxton, A6 to Bridgemont, and then A5004 back into Whaley Bridge and vice versa. 

From 4 February until 5 March, there will be no pedestrian access under the bridge. This is shorter than originally planned and follows pressure from High Peak MP Robert Largan and County Councillor Ruth George. 

The rail firm have also agreed to improve the lighting and surfacing along the alternative route through the memorial park, in order to ensure public safety in the darker months. 

Between 17 and 28 February, there will be no trains running past Hazel Grove station and a rail replacement bus service will operate. 

Mr Largan also raised concerns about how emergency vehicles will navigate the town. In response, Network Rail have clarified that Old Road will be able to be used as a diversion for them, however this will be a police-enforced access only route which the public will not be able to utilise. 

He had contacted Network Rail and Derbyshire County Council and demanded meetings with them to ensure that residents were being listened to. 

The MP said the situation had improved in terms of the clarity now being provided. 

He said: “I’m very pleased that I have been able to get so many concessions from both Network Rail and the Council, and that they are now listening to local residents again. 

“It is unacceptable that residents were ever sidelined, but I am glad that attitudes have changed, and this now appears to have been rectified."

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