Platt Mill Bridge to close for essential repairs

Platt Mill Bridge, which carries the B4397 Baschurch to Ruyton-XI-Towns road over the River Perry, will close to traffic at 5pm on Saturday 13 August 2011, for up to three weeks.

The closure is required to enable essential repairs to be carried out to the bridge, which has operated under traffic light control since January 2011 when its north-western wing wall was found to be leaning heavily.   

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. 

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

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

In addition to closing the bridge, temporary traffic restrictions will also apply to the western end of the nearby lane running between Stanwardine-in-the-Fields and Wykey. From 13 August 2011, between the Stanwardine Park access and the junction with the Wyke to Ruyton-XI-Towns road, this lane will only be open to westbound traffic and will have a 7.5 tonnes weight restriction.

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

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

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

“We have worked closely with local businesses and farmers to find a time to close the bridge which has less impact on them. 

“We have also agreed with bus operator, Arriva that the buses will stop either side of the bridge and allow time for people to cross over so that they can carry on their journey. 

“Lastly, I would like to remind local people that the ShropshireLink service is available if booked in advance by calling 0345 678 9068.”