OREANDA-NEWS. Two bridges in the Chorley area will reopen this week after being rebuilt by Network Rail as part of a £1bn+ investment in the railway in the north of England.

Railway Road in Adlington will reopen two weeks early and Harpers Lane in Chorley will open on time after being closed for up to five months.

The bridges were rebuilt to provide the additional height required to allow overhead electricity lines to run underneath to power trains from December 2016.

The upgrade of the line and electric trains will improve connections between Manchester and Preston via Bolton, delivering a more reliable, efficient and greener railway.

Ian Joslin, area director for Network Rail, said: "Our programme of work to electrify the railway in the north west and upgrade the infrastructure as part of the Northern Hub will provide many benefits to passengers, including faster journeys where possible and more seats and capacity.

"Everything is done to complete projects on time and we understand the impact our work has. On this occasion we have been able to reopen the bridge in Adlington early which will provide an early boost to the surrounding area and is a notable achievement for the team delivering the upgrades."