The street in Tameside where people can’t get from one side to the other

There is a street in Greater Manchester where people can’t get from one side to the other. And people aren’t happy about it.

Trouble started when a freight train came off the tracks in Audenshaw in September. The area was ‘like a crime scene’, according to locals.

Nine of the train’s 24 wagons derailed in total, with the last one coming to a standstill on a bridge near Sidmouth Street.

One resident we spoke to said part of the train landed in her back garden following the crash.

The aftermath of the wagons coming off the tracks on the Stockport to Stalybridge line led to the area being closed off whilst rail operators cleared up. This effectively cut the street in half.

More than two months on, trains are running on the tracks again, but residents still can’t walk under the bridge where it happened.

Network Rail said repairs are taking ‘slightly longer’ than planned, and a spokesman thanked the community for their patience.

But frustration over the delays is palpable among residents.

Given the number of elderly people living in the area, the alternative route via the busy Audenshaw Road is not a pleasant one. For slower walkers, taking the longer route round – rather than the direct route under the bridge – can add 10 minutes onto a short journey to the nearest shop.

Resident Joe Hart is one of those affected by the disruption. “It’s a real nuisance”, he said. “I’m not good on my legs and there are a few older people around here that struggle.

“I’m having to get taxis I can’t afford because of the rerouting. We’re not getting any info, that’s the trouble. They told us trains are running and this will happen later on.

“Every morning I wake up and look to see if it’s gone – but it never is. They said it was going to be open on December 4 but it’s not.

“It’s a nuisance, as I like to go to Ashton on the bus for a pint. This puts me off.”

The 80-year-old explained that his nearest bus stop was just under the bridge on the other side of the memorial garden, which is a mere 100m from his doorstep. The other bus stop on Audenshaw Road is a much longer walk for Joe.

His neighbour a few doors down, Judith Taylor, has the exact same issue.

The pensioner said: “I go through to get the bus regularly. Now I have to go all the way around.

“If the weather is bad I have to get a taxi. I have relatives at the pub just in the centre and it takes ages to get there now.

“We’ve now got to walk much further. It’s especially tough when you’ve got the shopping.

“Some people said it’s not going to be sorted for a while. It’s a big talking point, particularly for the older people in the area.

“We just want to know what will happen. It’s just an inconvenience.”

The lack of notice over the works is a common theme amongst grumbling Sidmouth Street residents. They claim Network Rail told them the footpath should be open by now – yet numerous pillars under the bridge are still blocking the way.

Where Sidmouth Street comes under the bridge and past Audenshaw Memorial Garden, the footway is completely shut, blocking off the road at the foot of some houses.

Susan Hills’ home backs onto the railway line on the other side of the bridge; she had a few train carriages lying in her back garden when the crash happened on September 6. She described the scene at the time as carnage, but the aftermath has been equally hellish for her.

“It’s been a nightmare as my sister lives in Linden Avenue. We’ve got child minders around here who’re really annoyed because it’s harder to get to the school.

“When Network Rail were here it was like a crime scene at the end of the road. It was just carnage.

“We can’t cut through to my sister’s. It’s not too far but it adds that extra time. They (Network Rail) did say it would be done by November.”

Susan’s next door neighbour Gillian described it as ‘a pain in the backside’. But she believes it’s harder for those on the other side of the bridge who have been blocked off from getting to the shops just over the road from her home.

She also admitted to having ‘no clue’ as to the time scale of the works.

For those living nearby to the bridge, they still experience their houses shaking, not due to trains going through or the crash, but because of the repair work going on in the early hours. Brad, whose garden backs onto the railway line, says it’s like an earthquake at night when the workers are doing repairs in the early hours.

He said: “It’s around 4/5am they’re doing the work. The houses are shaking in the early hours.

“It’s like an earthquake. It keeps you up at night. You would think ‘what the hell is going on’ if you didn’t know.

“We’re used to it but it’s annoying. It took them three days to put up the support so why can’t they take it down?

“Saturday and Friday nights is when the work happens. It’s like a transformer is coming through the house. But what can you do.”

Another local resident pointed out the safety risks involved in having to walk along Audenshaw Road. With cars hurtling down the main road at high speeds, and only a small pavement for pedestrians, she fears for school children doing that walk.

“The kids going into school have to walk on the main road and that’s a safety concern,” the child minder said. “There is a lack of information at the moment.

“I want an indication of how the work is going. There trains going over but we can’t walk under.

“Inconvenience is the issue. I’m a child minder and have friends on the other side and now they have to go down Audenshaw Road which isn’t the best.”

According to investigators, the freight train derailment caused ‘substantial damage to railway infrastructure’ – which meant much work was needed to sort the problems. At the end of October, urgent safety advice was issued by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB).

They said a number of ‘failed’ screws were uncovered at the scene. The freight train was said to have been travelling at ‘low speed’ at the time and there were no reported injuries.

Nine of the train’s 24 wagons derailed in total, with the last one coming to a standstill on a bridge near Sidmouth Street.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Local reaction to the footpath closure was spearheaded by ward councillors (Team Audenshaw) and Ashton MP Angela Rayner. Team Audenshaw said they received lots of messages from local residents about the train derailment and the time-scale for reopening pedestrian access.

They said they escalated these issues to Network Rail in order to get an update, and received a letter back from Phil James, Network Rail’s north west route director. They said he ensured the community they were working as fast as possible to sort out the issue with minimum disruption. Mr James explained they have appointed specialist contractors to identify the most effective repair to keep disruption to residents and the railway above to a minimum.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “We know it’s taking slightly longer than planned to repair the area impacted by the derailment in Audenshaw and we’re grateful to the community for their patience.

“We’re working to reopen the footpath but it’s currently going through a design process as we must make sure the bridge is safe for people to use. We will update the community as soon as possible.”

Tameside Council are liaising with Network Rail to ensure the surrounding area is restored appropriately. The local authority says work is currently underway and residents will be informed of progress for reopening the footpath.”