Temporary bridge set to open

Press release - 6 August 2007

Work to erect a temporary bridge over the River Corve on Coronation Avenue, Ludlow, is now nearing completion and the bridge is scheduled to open at 6pm on Wednesday 8 August.

Burway Bridge, which carried the B4361 road, collapsed on 26 June during exceptionally heavy flooding leaving a 16m wide breach in one of the main routes into Ludlow.

Following the collapse, work started immediately to make safe and divert the services carried by the bridge. The old bridge was then removed from the river and nearly 1000 tonnes of boulders were imported to stabilise the river banks.

The temporary bridge, which was constructed on the road and pushed out over the river, will be open to two way traffic under traffic light control. It will also carry a separate footway.

The temporary bridge is expected to remain open to traffic until next April when it will be removed to enable work to start on the construction of a new “permanent” bridge. Unfortunately there is not enough room at the site to enable the road to remain open when the building of the new bridge is underway.

When the temporary bridge opens, access to Lower Corve Street from Coronation Avenue will be prohibited to prevent Lower Corve Street from being used as a rat run.

After the opening of the temporary bridge, work to repair flood damage and further divert services ready for next summer’s bridge work will continue in the vicinity.

John Williams, Shropshire County Council’s principal bridge engineer, said: “It is appreciated that the unexpected loss of Burway Bridge has caused disruption and inconvenience and the temporary bridge is being provided in an attempt to keep this to a minimum”.

The combined cost of the repair work and providing the temporary bridge is expected to be in the region of £400,000.

Work on the design of the new bridge is currently underway. Engineers are carrying flood modelling work in order to determine how big the new bridge needs to be.

Ends

For further information, call John Williams, Principal Bridge Engineer on (01743) 252519.
For media contact, call Laura Owen, Communications Officer, Economy & Environment on (01743) 253318.