14/08/2012 - Permalink

Rea Bridge in Neen Sollars

Related topics: Community

Work to repair Rea Bridge in Neen Sollars is programmed to start on Monday 3 September 2012 and is expected to last for up to six weeks. 

The bridge, which carries the road from Neens Sollars to Neens Hill over the River Rea, was closed on an emergency basis on Saturday 14 July 2012, after parts of it collapsed as a result of exceptionally severe flooding. 

Unfortunately, because of the narrow nature of the bridge, the extent of the damage means that it will need to remain closed to traffic, for safety reasons, until it has been repaired. 

The proposed repair work will involve: 

  • Erecting temporary scaffold on the bridge
  • Building a new foundation for the bridge’s south-western wing wall
  • Rebuilding the bridge’s collapsed wing, spandrel and parapet walls
  • Removing the temporary scaffold
  • Repairing the road surface over the bridge. 

When the repair work begins, temporary scaffolding will occupy most of the space available on the bridge.  Regrettably, as a result it will not be possible to maintain access over the bridge for quad bikes and horse riders when the work is underway.  However, access over the bridge for pedestrians and dismounted cyclists will remain available throughout the proposed work. 

Scaffolding is needed to gain access to rebuild the outside faces of the bridge’s walls.  It is proposed to support it on the bridge, instead of building it up from the river bed, to reduce the risk of it being damaged by river borne debris.  Since the beginning of June 2012, it has already been necessary on three separate occasions to remove significant amounts of river borne debris from the bridge. 

Until the bridge is reopened, traffic will continue to be diverted along a signed  alternative route. 

Simon Jones, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member responsible for bridge maintenance, said: 

‘‘The bridge has had to be closed in the interest of safety after a totally unforeseeable flood which is understood to have been the worst in living memory.  It is appreciated that this is causing some disruption and inconvenience, and everyone involved will do all that they reasonably can to repair and reopen the bridge as soon as is reasonably possible.”