Bury Council acts swiftly to manage landslip on the A56 in Ramsbottom

Bury Council has introduced traffic management measures on the A56 in Ramsbottom, near Park Farm, as emergency works are carried out in response to an ongoing landslip affecting the road.

The landslip has caused a dangerous dip in the road surface, prompting the installation of temporary traffic signals to protect road users while remedial works take place. These signals will remain in place until minor surfacing and lining works can be completed.

Contractors have patched sections of the carriageway and lining will be carried out to mark out the new lanes. Once these works are complete, the road will return to two-way traffic within a narrowed carriageway layout designed to keep vehicles safely away from the affected area of the slip.

In addition to the immediate safety measures, the Council’s Traffic Team is preparing a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to reduce the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph along this stretch of the A56. This temporary reduction is intended to enhance safety for all road users while investigations continue, and long-term stabilisation solutions are developed. A long-term solution is likely to involve major engineering works to support the highway, the scale and scope of which will be determined by on-going ground investigation works into the cause of the slip. Lower speeds will help minimise risks and ensure that drivers can navigate the altered road layout safely.

Councillor Alan Quinn, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Climate Change, said: “These emergency measures are essential to ensure public safety while we address the impact of the landslip. We appreciate the patience and understanding of motorists and residents as we work to stabilise the area and keep the route open in the safest way possible.”

Questions and answers are available at the council’s website: https://www.bury.gov.uk/roads-travel-and-parking/highways-keep-bury-moving/road-works-and-closures/a56-ramsbottom-landslip-your-questions-answered

Further updates will be provided as the works progress.