Major roadworks will start on Burton Bridge a month BEFORE the start of the school summer holidays, it has been revealed.
Three lanes out of the four on the main route into Burton will be closed for the essential repairs - and the work is due to on Monday, June 18. It is scheduled to last for up to 11 weeks being completed before schools reopen in September.
The work had been planned to start at the beginning of the year but was postponed amid fury from businesses hit hard after the closure of the town's other main bridge over the River Trent - St Peter's Bridge - last year. The repairs to the two bridges are part of £6.1 million improvement scheme.
Burton Bridge was due to close immediately after the reopening of St Peter's Bridge. However, following the backlash from businesses as shoppers gave the town a wide berth during the three months it was completely closed for essential repairs, the work was delayed until June.
Despite initial plans for a complete closure of the bridge, engineers have now finalised a programme of repairs that will allow for one lane to be kept open – apart from on two nights, when a full closure will be necessary, said a Staffordshire County Council spokesman.
The length of the roadworks has also been cut by a planned three weeks as the authority will get crews to work an additional twilight shift.
Mark Deaville, Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member with responsibility for the scheme, said: "The £6.1 million scheme to safeguard both gateways is hugely important for the people of Burton, as without this investment St Peter’s Bridge would ultimately have closed and drivers using Burton Bridge would have faced frequent delays due to on-going repairs.
"After gathering views from residents and businesses following the completion of St Peter’s Bridge we were happy to move the start date of the work until the summer. As well as this we have been able to modify plans to avoid the full closure and also whittled down the duration of the works by a further three weeks.
"By doing this we can carry out much of the work during the school holidays, when roads are generally quieter and we plan to have the bridge fully open again for the start of the new school year."
During the scheme, work will be carried out from 7.30am to 4.30pm seven days a week, with additional twilight shifts from 4.30pm to 10.30pm Monday to Friday – except when curing time for materials is necessary.
Overnight working is not possible because of the impact of noise on nearby residential areas.
Access for cyclists and pedestrians using the bridge will be maintained throughout the scheme.
People can find out more about the scheme and sign up for regular updates at this website .
Councillor Deaville added: "We will be working as hard as we can to keep the disruption to a minimum and very much want to encourage people to continue to support the town and its local businesses while the strengthening repairs are carried out.
"We are letting people know as soon as possible when the work will start so they can start to plan ahead and will be publicising more details about the scheme over the coming months."
What work will be done to the bridge?
Unlike the more modern St Peter's Bridge, Burton Bridge was erected more than 150 years ago, with time tackling its toll and weakness to the structure possible.
The Burton Bridge is of an arch-based design, stretching across the River Trent, consisting of roughly 30 arches.
Staffordshire County Council has confirmed that the strengthening work will involve filling three of the disused and redundant arch spans that have been closed on one side of the bridge.
A further span will be supported by constructing an arch beneath it, reinforcing a weak spot on the bridge.
Drainage work will also be completed on the bridge, with footwork and kerbing replaced and the whole carriageway of the road system resurfaced.
A spokesman from the council claimed that the full plans will be finalised in the middle of March.
Mark Deaville, the cabinet member responsible for the scheme at Staffordshire County Council insisted that the repairs being made to the historic bridge will help protect it for the use of future generations.
Mr Deaville said: "The construction of this historic landmark was a feat of Victorian engineering in its day and the £6.1 million project will allow weak points in the bridge to be strengthened, as part of the wider programme of drainage repairs and resurfacing necessary to keep the traffic moving.
"While you can't carry out major works on a bridge without some level of disruption, after listening to residents and businesses we have rescheduled the work for the quieter summer months, reduced the timescale for the project and will now keep one lane open.
"It is important to remember without this investment, St Peter's Bridge would ultimately have to be closed and motorists on Burton Bridge would have faced increasing delays and disruption due to the deteriorating condition of the bridge."
