Rochdale company appointed for multi-million pound bridge repair project

The repair of Queen’s Park Bridge has moved a step closer with the council appointing a specialist contractor to carry out the work.

Rochdale-based BDP Special Projects Ltd will lead the work to repair and strengthen 136m long bridge, which connects Heywood with Rochdale and spans the River Roch.

The project will see £4m invested into the bridge in Queen’s Park Road, which was first constructed in the early 1930s but is now showing signs of disrepair.

The 12-month project, which will get under way in January 2024, will see extensive concrete repairs to the structure beneath the road surface and replacement of the parapets. 

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

Reinstatement of the structure’s historic features will also take place as part of the project. Steel lighting columns, which were recently removed after falling into a state of disrepair, will be carefully recreated by specialists in their original green and gold colours, before being reinstated on the bridge. 

Councillor Shah Wazir, cabinet member for highways at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “Queen’s Park Bridge is a really important and well used part of our highways network. It connects Heywood and Rochdale, and has been a familiar sight for our residents for generations, particularly those who use it to access award-winning Queen’s Park.

“While it’s stood proud for almost a century, it’s now showing its age, so we’re stepping in to ensure it will be fit for another hundred years. As well as vital strengthening and repair work, contractors will be reinstating historic features like the lighting columns, and making the whole area more attractive.”

Ben Dobson, director at BDP, said: “As we’re based in Heywood, this is on our doorstep, so it’s an absolute honour to undertake this project. This bridge has been in place for 90 years now and it’s a key gateway into Heywood. We’ll be giving back to the community by supporting the repair of the BMX track in Queen’s Park and we’re hoping to do some projects with the two primary schools along Queen’s Park Road, St Michael’s and St Luke’s.”

The Queen’s Park bridge project is BDP’s second major project on Heywood’s roads, as they supported Sisk and Russells on the recent construction of the junction 19 link road, Queen Elizabeth Way, which opened last year. 

Access will be maintained for both motorists, pedestrians and cyclists throughout the project, except for occasional overnight closures, with the bridge operating on lights.

In order to support motorists who may choose alternative routes, nearby Bamford Way, which also connects Rochdale and Heywood, is currently being resurfaced. 

The project has fuelled further regeneration of Heywood, which is the focus of major investment as part of a wider masterplan for the area. The plan, which is already being delivered, includes a multi-million pound redevelopment of the Heywood Civic Centre and major improvements to the roads and public realm in the town centre.