Network Rail plans £1.75m track renewal on M65 bridge in East Lancashire

Network Rail will renew more than 1,300 metres of track on the railway bridge carrying the East Lancashire line over the M65 between Rishton and Accrington, in a £1.75m scheme that closes the line on three days in November.

The work will be delivered with Network Rail's delivery partner, the Central Rail Systems Alliance. Full railway closures are planned for Sunday 22 November and for Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 November, Network Rail said.

Teams will work round the clock to replace sections of track, sleepers and ballast on the structure. Network Rail said the renewed railway would give passengers smoother and more reliable journeys and reduce the amount of maintenance needed in future.

Neil O'Toole, Network Rail senior programme manager, said there was never an ideal time to close the railway, "but the scale and complexity of this track renewal on a bridge over the M65 motorway will see some travel impacts to both road and rail users."

Road and rail closures

Network Rail said the final weekend of the project will also affect motorway traffic. The hard shoulder and lanes 1 and 2 on both carriageways of the M65 will be closed from 21:00 on Friday 27 November to 05:00 on Monday 30 November, Network Rail said. O'Toole advised motorists to allow extra time for journeys on the M65 over that weekend.

On the railway, Network Rail said trains between Todmorden and Burnley Manchester Road would not run during the work, with rail replacement buses provided. National Rail Enquiries' official notice for 28 and 29 November 2026 describes the engineering work more widely, as taking place between Preston and Colne, Todmorden and Hebden Bridge, closing various lines and affecting Northern services.

A spokesperson for Northern said: "The railway closure is necessary to allow Network Rail to carry out essential improvements safely, which will help provide a more reliable railway for the future."

The operator apologised for the disruption and urged customers to check their journeys before travelling, allow extra time and look at alternative travel arrangements.

The delivery partner

The Central Rail Systems Alliance is a 10-year alliance in which Balfour Beatty says it holds a 40% share. According to Balfour Beatty, the alliance is responsible for the development, design and delivery of track renewals and crossings, together with associated infrastructure works across the London North West, London North East and East Midland routes.

Network Rail says its track role covers maintaining and renewing 20,000 miles of track. Its guidance on track work describes tampers and ballast regulators compacting ballast beneath sleepers to hold track geometry, and GPS-guided track laying to design coordinates providing accuracy within 10mm. The company says it owns, operates and develops Britain's railway infrastructure, including 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts.

Earlier investment on the line

In 2020, Network Rail completed a £3.95m Great North Rail Project programme on the East Lancashire line, with the line reopening on 24 February 2020 after a nine-day closure, according to Network Rail.

Scheme	Network Rail investment
Great North Rail Project programme, 2020	£3.95m
M65 bridge track renewal, November 2026	£1.75m

Network Rail advised anyone planning to travel by rail over the closure weekends to check National Rail Enquiries in advance, and directed drivers to one.network for road information and diversions.

The first railway closure takes place on Sunday 22 November, with the M65 lane closures beginning at 21:00 on Friday 27 November.