The important rail infrastructure project known as the Ordsall Chord was given funding in 2011 by the Coalition Government as part of its economic recovery programme aimed at repairing the damage to UK caused by the Anglo-American Banking Crash. It was one of a package of rail improvement projects, among many others, announced by Rt Hon Norman Baker, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, at the Liberal Democrat Conference in Birmingham in September 2011.
The Ordsall Chord will enable trains to travel from Manchester Piccadilly to Salford and then on to Manchester Victoria. It will improve access to Manchester Airport and simplify rail operations through Manchester Victoria station and reduce jouney times on Trans-Pennine routes such as between Liverpool and Newcastle and Leeds.
The major element in the scheme, a large single span bridge over the River Irwell, was lowered into place on 21st February.
The new route is expected to be open for regular traffic by 10th December 2017.