Platt Mill Bridge to close for essential repairs

Work to repair Platt Mill Bridge, which carries the B4397 Baschurch to Ruyton-XI-Towns road over the River Perry, is due to start on Monday 18 July 2011 and is expected to last for about eight weeks. 

Until Saturday 13 August 2011 the bridge will remain open to traffic under traffic light control. 

Unfortunately, to complete the work, it will be necessary to close the bridge to traffic for a period of up to three weeks starting on 13 August 2011. 

Provided that the weather is good, the closure period is only expected to last for a fortnight.  However, as the repair work will be weather-sensitive, it is likely to take longer in the event of bad weather. 

During the bridge closure period, the contractor carrying out the repair will be working a 12-hour day, seven days a week. 

When the bridge is closed, traffic will be diverted via Shotatton Crossroads, Whittington, Ellesmere and Burlton. 

When the bridge is closed, the western end of the nearby lane running between Stanwardine-in-the-Fields and Wyke will be restricted to one-way traffic.  This will mean that, between the Stanwardine Park access and the junction with the Wyke to Ruyton-XI-Towns road, the lane will only be open to westbound traffic. 

This one-way restriction is considered necessary because the lane is too narrow to be able to accommodate any significant volume of two-way traffic. 

In addition to the one-way restriction, the western end of the Stanwardine to Wyke lane will also have a 7.5 tonnes weight restriction for the duration of the bridge closure period. 

Access over the bridge for pedestrians and dismounted cyclists will remain available throughout the proposed work. 

Councillor Simon Jones, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for transport, said:

“It is appreciated that the closure of the bridge will cause significant inconvenience and every reasonable effort will be made to reopen it as soon as possible.  The closure period has been chosen to avoid impacting on school traffic and the summer harvest season.”

Aggie Caesar-Homden, Shropshire Councilllor for Ruyton and Baschurch, said:

“It is most unfortunate that these necessary repairs will have to be carried out.  I am pleased that the contractors will be working extended hours to minimise the time needed to carry out the work.  Shropshire Council is doing everything it can to minimise disruption to local residents and businesses during this time.”