Multi-million pound bridge repair gets under way

The ambitious repair of Queen’s Park Bridge is about to get under way, with Heywood based company, BDB Special Projects Ltd, making the final preparations on site. The company were appointed late last year, following a competitive tendering process, and work to repair the 131 metre structure on Queen’s Park Road will start on Monday 8 January.

The project will see almost £4m invested into the bridge, which is 91-years-old and in need of repair to ensure it can continue to serve residents and motorists for decades to come.

The team will be undertaking vital repairs to the concrete underneath the bridge, which runs over the River Roch, and the parapets will be replaced. The road on the bridge will also be resurfaced.

The concrete barriers which separate the pavement from the road, will be replaced with new kerbs, known as Trief kerbs, which are less obtrusive and place less weight onto the bridge, while still offering protection for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.

The project, which is expected to take around 12 months to complete, will also involve the restoration of ornate steel lighting columns, which were removed after falling into a state of disrepair. They will be recreated by specialists in their original green and gold colours, before being reinstated on the bridge. 

The bridge will remain open to traffic throughout the work, but it will be operating on lights, so motorists are advised to leave extra time for their journeys. Occasional full closures will take place, with the first of these due to take place overnight on Monday 8 January, when the bridge will be closed between 8pm and 6am, with a fully signed diversion route in place. The team at BDB has resurfaced a large stretch of Bamford Road in recent weeks, to support the extra traffic which is expected to use this route while the work on Queen’s Park Road takes place.

Sections of the footpath which runs alongside the river underneath the bridge will be closed at various times during the project, to facilitate the extensive repairs, but no dates for these closures have been set as yet.

The company is looking to invest back into the local community during the project, with discussions ongoing on how best to support the refurbishment of the BMX track in Queen’s Park. BDB is also working with the two closest primary schools, St Michael’s and St Luke’s, on an art competition inspired by the bridge and the park.

Councillor Shah Wazir, cabinet member for highways at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “This vital project will see huge investment into this bridge, which has stood proud in this area for over 90 years now. I’m pleased to see a Heywood company taking on this important project and I’m delighted to hear about their plans to invest into Queen’s Park and work with local schoolchildren.”

Ben Dobson, Director at BDB Special Projects Limited, said: “We’re aware that these changes will cause some disruption, but it’s a very old structure and these repairs are vital if the bridge is to continue operating well into the future. We’ve letter dropped residents and businesses in the area, as well as the schools along Queen’s Park Road, and regular updates will be communicated as the works progress. 

“Although we work all over the country, it’s particularly satisfying to deliver this project on our doorstep in an area we know so well. Many of our staff live in the Heywood area and we also intend to use local companies for the supply of materials, equipment and sub-contractors where possible.” 

The project is part of the wider regeneration of Heywood, which is being delivered through the Heywood masterplan. The multi million pound redevelopment of Heywood Civic Centre is set to get underway within the next few months, while 72 new affordable homes will be delivered at the former Marina Ropeworks site, after council planners approved the plans at the end of 2023.