Repair work to start at Bank Steps in Bridgnorth

On Monday 19 December 2011 work will start to repair Bank Steps in Bridgnorth, which were recently closed on an emergency basis. 

Bank Steps were closed after the partial collapse of a previously unrecorded vault which carried the lower part of the steps.  The main element of the proposed work will be to fill the vault with concrete. 

To ensure that the pressure of the wet concrete does not push over the vault’s side walls, it will be only be possible to place a little amount of concrete in it at a time.  Therefore, it is estimated that the concreting work, which is programmed to start on Monday 19 December 2011, will take approximately four days to complete. 

Unfortunately, to carry out the infilling work, it will be necessary to position a concrete pump on Riverside near the access to Bank Steps.  Therefore, to enable Riverside to be kept open to traffic when the work is underway, it is proposed to introduce a temporary parking ban along the length of Riverside between the entrance to the nearby pay and display car park and a point approximately 10 metres north of five Bank Steps.  

The parking ban will start at 7.30am on Monday 19 December 2011 and last for a period of up to five days. 

Once the vault has been infilled, it should be possible to reopen the steps to the public. However, until the surface of the pavement itself has been repaired, the width available at the bottom of the steps will be narrower than usual. 

It is intended that the pavement repair work will be carried out in early January 2012. 

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

“It is appreciated that this unexpected work will cause some inconvenience, and everyone involved in the repair will do all that they reasonably can to complete it as soon as possible.” 

William Parr, a Shropshire Councillor for Bridgnorth East and Astley Abbotts, said:

“Bank Steps are an important and historic link within Bridgnorth, and though work is necessary and may cause inconvenience, they will be temporary and benefit everyone  when finished.”

Christian Lea, also a Shropshire Councillor for Bridgnorth East and Astley Abbotts, said:

“I welcome the news that the necessary concreting work is about to commence on Bank Steps and which, when completed, will allow these steps to reopen before Christmas, which will be very much welcomed by local residents.”