ROAD traffic and Metrolink Services in Bury will be affected when vital bridge-strengthening work begins in the New Year.

Work will be carried out on the Moss Lane bridge, Whitefield, and Hollinhurst Bridge on Radcliffe New Road, Radcliffe, in order to meet an EC directive to make the bridges safe for 40-tonne lorries.

Both bridges are owned by Metrolink.

Work is due to begin on January 11 and will continue until July 1999.

Some disruption is expected to Metrolink services at weekends and further notification will be given in the New Year.

Diversions

Diversions will also be in place for motorists.

At Moss Lane, there will be demolition, concreting, placing of steel reinforcement and excavation.

Cranes will be used to lift steel beams into place and a new road surface will also be laid.

Anyone with any problems about the scheme should contact a council officer on site or telephone 0161 253 5793.

Traffic and engineering spokesman, Cllr Steve Perkins, said: "This is a major contract and while every effort is being made to ensure the least inconvenience or disruption, it would be unrealistic not to expect some difficulties.

"We hope the public will bear with us during this period."

For inquiries regarding bus or Metrolink services, call GMPTE on 0161 2287811.

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