A RAILWAY operator has looked to reassure angry residents who have had to deal with more than a year of noise and disruption from work on a nearby railway line.

Network Rail thanked residents in Moses Gate for their patience in tolerating overnight works to electrify the track close to their homes and say that the improvements will be worthwhile once completed.

One resident affected by the work videoed noisy drilling taking place after midnight from nearby Ivanhoe Street whilst another has started a Facebook group for residents affected by the noise.

The work forms part of the £1 billion-plus Great North Rail Project which will see faster, electric trains between Manchester and Preston.

Jonathan Cooke, a spokesperson for Network Rail, said: “We are aware that we are working in close proximity with residents and so we are doing all we can to inform them about the work taking place.

“This is now the last leg of the project to upgrade and electrify the railway between Manchester and Preston so we would like to thank residents for their patience whilst we have been carrying out this work.”

Travel through Moses Gate station along with many others going through Bolton is set to be severely disrupted from Saturday as two weeks of works is planned.

Railway closures from August 12 to August 27 will result in almost all train services being taken away and being replaced with buses.

Mr Cooke said: “Our engineers are going to be working round the clock to get as much work as possible completed.

“We are renewing and moving tracks, doing lots of work at Bolton station and the surrounding stations and getting the platforms prepared for electric trains.

“We will be taking advantage of the railway closures at Moses Gate and in the Farnworth area between August 12 and 27 so the majority of the work will take place then.

“There may still be some remedial work to be done which has to be completed overnight but we have let residents know as and when this is going to potentially be disruptive for them.

“They have all received letters from our generated address list that recognises which properties are within 150 metres from any work and so could face disruption.”

The bus replacement service will be available until Monday, August 28 when the railway is due to be reopened.

Passengers have been advised to check before they travel as there may still be some minor delays throughout the fortnight.

For further information the project, people can either call Network Rail’s 24-hour national helpline on 03547 114141 or contact the website at www.networkrail.co.uk/bolton