A team of experts led by Sustrans, The Coal Authority and Antony Higginbotham MP are investigating the causes of cracks and subsidence on the River Calder bridge, which forms part of the Padiham Greenway.
This week The Coal Authority will drill into old mine workings close to the bridge to insert a sonar device to get a clearer picture of what is happening in the ground.
Burnley and Padiham’s MP Antony Higginbotham, who visited the works alongside local Councillor Jamie McGowan, said:
The Padiham Greenway Bridge serves as a vital connection for people in Padiham and further afield. Heavily used by dog walkers and cyclists it needs to be reopened as soon as possible and is why I’ve been working with both the Coal Authority and Sustrans to find out the definitive cause of the issue.
Using sonar equipment will enable us to see exactly what is taking place underneath the ground so that a plan can be put together to get it reopened. Because that’s what we all want to see.
I also want to say thank you to the numerous local community groups who are also pushing this cause, and to Cllr Jamie McGowan who continues to raise this in Burnley Council too.
The charity Sustrans, which owns the popular walking and cycling route, closed the bridge on the Greenway in 2021 when routine inspections by engineers revealed the pier in the river was sinking into the ground. This meant the bridge could collapse if people continued to use it. Sustrans also closed the adjacent, lower footbridge as there is potential for falling masonry from the River Calder bridge to harm people.
Sustrans carried out emergency stabilisation work in October and November 2021. This involved injecting grout into voids in the ground, including into the mine workings, which has helped to temporarily stabilise the bridge. Both Sustrans and The Coal Authority monitor the bridge including with sensors to track any further movement and provide immediate warning of any significant changes in the bridge.
Will Haynes, Infrastructure Director for Sustrans said:
I’m very pleased to work with The Coal Authority and other local partners to try and understand what is causing deterioration of the bridge on the Padiham Greenway.
We are committed to fixing the bridge and opening up this section of the Greenway again as soon as we can. This is one of our most popular local paths for walking, cycling and using a mobility aid. The safety of our users is our top priority.
Unfortunately it is likely to take some time while we determine the causes of settlement then design a solution to prevent further movement. As a charity we will need to work together with partners and the local community to raise the funds to fix it.
Malcolm Scott of the Coal Authority’s Public Safety and Subsidence Team said:
We are currently carrying out investigative works at the site to see if the damage to the bridge has been caused by the mine workings in the area. If that is found to be the case, the Coal Authority will work with our partners to provide a permanent solution so that the bridge can be reopened as soon as reasonably practicable.
The bridge is likely to be closed until at least late 2024. The work is complicated by the fact that repair works will almost certainly involve further work in the river, which requires a permit from the Environment Agency and can only be done when the water level is low, and in adherence with fishery rules.
