Shropshire's major A49 to close this weekend for repairs
A major road through Shropshire will be closed for nearly 24 hours this weekend to carry out bridge repairs, with two more full-day closures planned for January.
The A49 trunk road, one of Shropshire's main arteries through the south of the county, will be completely shut around Onibury, south of Craven Arms, from 8pm today to 6pm on Saturday.
All traffic will be diverted around the Corvedale Road at Craven Arms and through Ludlow Racecourse to Bromfield, north of Ludlow.
The work is to repair damage to the bridge which takes the A49 over the River Onny at Onibury, next to Onibury rail crossing, caused by a lorry hitting the side earlier this year.
Andy Wilson, speaking for contractor Kier Services, carrying out the work, said: "We will be carrying out parapet repairs following vehicle impact to the southbound parapet.
"Works will require breaking out the concrete verge, replacing damaged parapet components then re-instating the concrete verge.
"North of the bridge traffic will be diverted along the B4368. South of the bridge traffic will be diverted along the B4365.
"The diversion route will be fully signed."
Two more full closures, both for 34 hours, are scheduled for weekends in January to complete the work, the first from 8pm on January 15 to 6am on January 17, the second for the same hours from January 22 to 24.
David Evans, Shropshire Councillor for Craven Arms and Church Stretton, said: "It has got to be done, I don't think there is any way around it, but hopefully it will be done with the least amount of upset as possible.
"Most of the work will be done at night.
"I think it will affect people in Craven Arms, it might be a bit chaotic in towns with lorries coming down the narrow Corvedale Road, especially as people park along there, but we'll have to see what happens.
"People also need to be extra careful driving around the Corvedale - the trouble with extra traffic on that road is that it causes more erosion to the tarmac and the verges, and the verges are very soft this time of year so lorries need to be careful that they don't slip off the tarmac and into them.
"But it's better to do it now then next week when it might be busier because of Christmas. Hopefully it won't be too disruptive," he said.
