Essential repairs to Sweyney Bridge and Coalport Bridge are due to start in August

Essential repairs to two bridges which carry the Broseley to Coalport road are scheduled to start on Tuesday 27 August 2013. 

The two bridges are Coalport Bridge, which crosses the River Severn by the Woodbridge Inn, and Sweyney Bridge, which crosses a disused railway line between Broseley and the Woodbridge Inn. 

The repair to Coalport Bridge will involve taking down and rebuilding most of the bridge’s north-eastern wing wall, part of which collapsed during the recent winter. 

Unfortunately, because the wing wall in question supports the road which crosses over the bridge, it will be necessary to close Coalport Bridge to traffic in order to carry out the repair safely.  It is therefore proposed to close Coalport Bridge to traffic for a period of up to six weeks starting on 27 August 2013. 

Pedestrian access over Coalport Bridge will remain available throughout the proposed work. 

Work to repair Sweyney Bridge is now also scheduled to start on 27 August 2013 and is expected to last for a period of about nine to 10 weeks.  This work was previously due to start on 23 September 2013, but has been brought forward to coincide with the closure of Coalport Bridge. 

The repair of Sweyney Bridge will involve installing ground anchors to stabilise the bridge’s wing and spandrel walls, carrying out structural repairs to its arch barrel and improving the vertical alignment of the road over it. 

Although for the vast majority of the time Sweyney Bridge will remain open to traffic under traffic light control, it will unfortunately be necessary to close it for up to 10 days between 14 October and 2 November 2013.  These closures, the precise dates of which will be confirmed nearer the time, will be restricted to between 4pm and midnight on Mondays to Fridays. 

When either of the two bridges is closed, traffic will be diverted via Broseley, the Free Bridge, the Lloyds and Coalport High Street. 

John Williams, Shropshire Council’s bridges and structures manager said: 

‘‘It is appreciated that the proposed work will cause some inconvenience, and everyone involved will do all that they can to complete the work as soon as reasonably possible.  In an attempt to achieve this, the two schemes have been deliberately programmed to start at the same time.”