Road closure extended due to Shropshire bridge rebuild delay
A road where a bridge is being rebuilt in south Shropshire will remain closed until the end of next month due to construction material delays.
Winterburn Bridge, near Neenton, has been closed since March for long-awaited work to enable a new bridge to be constructed.
Shropshire Council said that as a result of a series of issues, the unclassified road over the Winterburn Brook, from Overton junction to The Baytree junction, will remain closed until July 31.
Issues have included contractor Freyssinet experiencing supply problems with concrete and materials, and also inefficient working practices due to Covid-19 social distancing rules.
The council also said the rebuild was also taking longer to complete due to the depth of excavation required.
Due to the nature of the repair works, a full road closure and diversion route is in place for the duration of the work.
Traffic is being diverted via Oldfield, Neenton and Wrickton, with signs installed at Baytree, Cleobury North, Oldfield and Overton. The diversion route will be monitored for the duration of the work by the contractor and the council.
A temporary footbridge is available for pedestrians and dismounted cyclists to use.
Shropshire Council’s highways and transport boss Councillor Steve Davenport said: “It is appreciated that the bridge closure causes some inconvenience, and everyone involved will do all that they reasonably can to reopen it as soon as possible.”
The construction work will be carried out by Freyssinet and supervised by the council’s term consultant WSP.
Winterburn Bridge collapsed in 2007 and the remains of the bridge were removed and a temporary piped culvert installed to enable the road to be reopened to traffic.
