Wood End Lift Bridge, Bridge 24

For the works to replace Bridge 24 (Wood End) on the Peak Forest Canal, unfortunately it will be necessary to close the canal either side of the bridge location from midday on Thursday 18th June, until 11am in the morning the following day, Friday 19th. We apologise for this inconvenience and request that any day time passage is made on Thursday morning, as it will not be possible during the afternoon or evening.

The bridge bearing shelves need to be replaced in order to install the new bridge structure (the works being undertaken by our Framework Contractor, Kier), and due to the condition and construction of the canal wall, supporting the shuttering for the concrete will inhibit the channel, preventing boats from being able to pass by safely. All possibilities for trying to minimise disturbance to customers have been considered, as the shuttering first needs to be set up, then the concrete poured and allowed to cure. This cure will be overnight to minimise the day time hours affected, and the shutters will be stripped the following morning to be able to re-open the navigation from 11am on Friday 19th June. We thank local users for their co-operation whilst this construction work is being undertaken.

Unfortunately site constraints with the ongoing construction works will require the restriction period to be deferred by a week, to instead be from the 1st June – 19th June 2015. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Between these dates, Bridge 24 will not be passable from 8am – 11am in the morning and 1pm – 5.30pm in the afternoon. A window for Customers to pass in the middle of the day will be provided between 11am and 1pm and the navigation will also be open prior to 8am in the morning and after 5.30pm in the evening, which we would suggest as the best time to travel in order to avoid delay. Please note this is for weekdays only; it is planned to re-open the canal as normal at weekends.

The closure period is required for our Framework Contractor, Kier, to install new foundations on both sides of the canal for a replacement bridge structure. Owing to its recent failure, it is important that a replacement bridge is progressed as soon as possible and unfortunately, in order to successfully carry out this work, a restriction for boating traffic is necessary.

26th May – 12th June 2015

To prepare for the installation of a replacement Bridge 24 (Wood End Lift Bridge) on the Peak Forest Canal, new foundations are to be installed on both sides of the canal by our contractors.

Owing to the recent failure of the bridge structure, it is important that a replacement bridge is progressed as soon as possible and unfortunately, in order to successfully carry out this work, a restriction for boating traffic is necessary.

Bridge 24 will not be passable from either direction from 8am – 11am in the morning and 1pm – 5.30pm in the afternoon.

Boats will be able to pass daily between 11am and 1pm and the navigation will also be open prior to 8am in the morning and after 5.30pm in the evening.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of these works.

Please note that construction works to repair approximately 80m of failed washwall either side of Bridge 24 on the Peak Forest Canal will be ongoing during normal weekday working hours. This will be carried out by Kier, on behalf of Canal & River Trust.

Boats will still be able to pass by whilst these repairs are ongoing, we ask that customers proceed slowly and with care when travelling between Bridge 23 and 25 due to this potential hazard.

We are pleased to confirm that the parts from Wood End Lift Bridge have been removed and the canal has now re opened.

The bridge cannot now be used to cross the canal by pedestrians or vehicles.

We will advise further when we have a more certain date for the bridge to be replaced.

Following the short notice total closure of the bridge last week we have decided that our only option is to remove the bridge deck from across the canal and partially demolish the structure so that the canal can be reopened.

The work is planned for tomorrow (Thursday) and everything is in place for that to happen, the bridge deck has been disconnected from the main structure and lifting points welded to it.

Our only caution is the weather and how the snow might affect that work - we need to be able to get lifting equipment safely to the site down an awkward track.

If the work cannot go ahead tomorrow because of the weather we will rearrange it for the earliest opportunity afterwards.

Following this work the bridge will not be useable to cross the canal by either pedestrians or vehicles until it can be replaced which we are planning to do before Easter.

Information about the closure is posted at the site.  If you need further information about this work please contact our office at Red Bull on 0303 040 4040

Following a further inspection today we have had to close the bridge pending further structural investigation.  We are making arrangements for this now but cannot currently say how long this will prolong the closure.  We are unable to operate the bridge until this is done. 

Please be assured we are doing everything we can to minimise the duration of the closure and will advise further as soon as we know more.

Unfortunately we have had to close the bridge to navigation again today following an inspection.

This is to allow a more detailed assessment and investigation of the problem at the site.

We know that this will cause disruption to you for which we apologise, we are working to re-open the bridge as quickly as possible.

The bridge is closed until further notice.

We will provide a further update on Monday

Following work to the bridge in the last few days we are now able to reopen this on a restricted basis. Our teams will be present at the bridge from 10am to 12noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays until further notice; and will operate the bridge for people to sail through.

Part of the operation on each occasion will include a period of testing and monitoring before boats pass through and we ask for people’s patience while this takes place.

People sailing past the bridge should follow our staff’s instructions. We would ask people to ensure that they sail through slowly and take extra care not to allow their boats to hit the deck or banks.

If you need any further information about the bridge and our work to it, please contact our office at Red Bull on 0303 040 4040

We believe that the bridge has been hit by an oversized vehicle, and that this has damaged the deck and superstructure. We now need to make some modifications to the bridge to allow navigation to restart, and so that the bridge can be operated by our staff. It is planned to allow passages but only under Trust supervision. We believe that we can do this by the end of the week (Friday 16th) and have started to source the various parts that we need.

We will provide an update on the operational arrangements and confirm the date for restarting navigation later this week. If we can we will reopen the bridge before Friday but there is a lot that needs to be done. 

The bridge has been damaged and is inoperable due to safety reasons and has been taken out of action.  Therefore the canal is closed to navigation.  The towpath remains open.

Engineers are assessing the damage to put together a package for repairs and we will update further as soon as we have more information.