The wait goes on, on the street where you can’t get from one side to the other

Residents living on a street where they are unable to get from one side to the other have been told they will have to wait until summer for a safe crossing.

Chaos unfolded when a freight train came off the tracks in Audenshaw last September. Locals described the events as being ‘like a crime scene’

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

The aftermath on the Stockport to Stalybridge line led to the area being closed-off whilst rail operators began a clean-up operation.

This work effectively cut the street in half. Almost four months on, trains are running on the tracks again, but residents still can’t walk under the bridge where it happened.

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.

Network Rail, who are carrying out the works on the bridge, apologised for the delay and the confusion over what was happening with the path. They have now confirmed that safety works on the bridge are expected to be complete by summer.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “We are extremely grateful to the Audenshaw community for their patience, and we are very sorry for the disruption while we carried out vital repairs to the railway. 

“Although the majority of these are now complete, the footpath underneath the bridge has been closed for safety reasons and has been supported by scaffolding to maintain the safe passage of freight trains above.

“The longer-term repair plan is in motion and the complex design for this strengthening work is now being finalised.

“We expect the work to be completed by the summer and we’ll be writing to the community in the coming weeks with more information about the next steps.”