Witnesses said the hole was slowly getting bigger
Members of the public are being told not to cross a safety cordon around a large hole that appeared in a busy Manchester road on Friday.
The warning came as United Utilities said a section of the Mancunian Way could be shut for at least two weeks.
Engineers reported work to stabilise the site was "hindered" by people crossing the cordon, a Manchester City Council spokesman said.
He added the hole, which appeared after heavy rain, was "unsafe".
"It's too dangerous at the moment to approach and assess properly," he said, confirming the hole was being monitored for any further collapse.
"A full assessment won't be carried out until we are satisfied it is safe for inspection."
The Mancunian Way is one of the city's busiest roads, especially during rush hour
A United Utilities spokesman said the collapse was "not caused by any aspect" of the water company's operations.
He added its engineers were part of an emergency operation to fix the damaged sewer under the hole, but it would take "the best part of two weeks" before they could hand over to the Highways Agency and Manchester City Council to oversee repairs to the hole itself.
A decision could be made on Monday with regard to how long the road section between the MacDonald Hotel and Fairfield Street would be closed, he said.
A council spokesman said the size of the hole could not be confirmed, adding: "We haven't measured the hole - we aren't keen on letting anyone get that close until we're confident the area around it is stable."
Witnesses on Friday said the hole was increasing and part of the pavement had eroded.
Football fans attending Manchester City's home game with Chelsea on Sunday afternoon are advised to allow extra time for travel.
Motorists continue to be diverted via London Road, Fairfield Street, A665, Hyde Road and Downing Street.
About two weeks' worth of rain fell in about six hours in Manchester on Friday.
Geology specialist Dr Nigel Cassidy, of Keele University, said the hole was potentially caused because soft sediment under the road had become weaker due to the wet weather.
"[The water] can wash away sand and you end up with a small cavity opening up, particularly if there is a broken sewer," he said.
- Published14 August 2015
- Published4 March 2013
