Highway chiefs have vowed to make sure that St Peter's Bridge is open in time for the Christmas lights switch-on despite a vandal attack.
Red industrial paint was used to vandalise paving, structures and signs, resulting in the need for emergency repairs to make sure the bridge is ready to reopen as planned on Saturday, November 18.
It is now 11 weeks since the bridge first closed on Tuesday, August 29 to allow for essential work to replace rusted bearings on the 32-year-old structure, part of a £6.1 million project to refurbish both St Peter’s Bridge and Burton Bridge.
Waterproofing and resurfacing on the bridge has been completed, while the work on the bearings will make sure HGVs and buses can continue to access the town via that route in the future.
Without the repairs, lorries and buses would have been banned from using the bridge because of weight restrictions by 2019.
Mark Deaville, the county council's cabinet member who is responsible for the bridge repairs, has called for the vandals who targeted the bridge to be found and brought to justice.
Mr Deaville said: "We are determined to ensure St Peter's Bridge is open ahead of schedule in time for the Christmas lights switch-on, despite this mindless criminal damage, which risked delaying the reopening.
"This was a deliberate large-scale act of vandalism and we will be working with the police to do everything we can to make sure the culprits are brought to justice."
There were fears that the damage could delay the opening of the bridge, due to finish a week ahead of the original schedule.
Staffordshire County Council announced in October that lengths were being taken to make sure it would be open to coincide with the town's Christmas lights switch-on on Sunday, November 19.
It has also been announced that Burton Bridge will now be repaired next summer after the county council held a consultation with residents and businessman to ask when they wanted the work to be carried out.
Following the consultation, the county council has introduced temporary parking restrictions in Stapenhill Road and High Street to make sure the streets are clear.
Crews are currently working on the bridge whenever needed from 7.30am until 10.30pm on weekdays and from 7.30am until 4.30pm on Saturdays.
