Repairs to Church Window Bridge near Gretton

Church Window Bridge, which carries the Longville in the Dale to Gretton road over a watercourse approximately half a mile east of Gretton, is to close for essential repairs on Monday 18 August 2014.

The proposed work is necessary because a routine inspection has revealed that the condition of bridge’s northern end has recently deteriorated significantly. The defects found include fresh cracking in the bridge’s arch barrel and heavy bulging of the adjacent spandrel and wing walls.

The proposed repair will involve taking down and rebuilding the damaged parts.

Unfortunately, because of the relatively narrow nature of the bridge, it will be necessary to close it to traffic in order to carry out the proposed work safely.  It is therefore proposed to close the bridge to traffic for a period of up to eight weeks starting on Monday 18 August 2014.

When the bridge is closed, it is proposed to divert traffic along Gilberries Lane and the B4371 road.

Access over the bridge for pedestrians and dismounted cyclists will unfortunately not be available either, throughout the proposed work.

Claire Wild, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member responsible for bridge maintenance, said:

‘‘This is essential work which needs to be carried out to ensure that the bridge can continue to remain open safely in the long term.

‘‘Whilst it is appreciated that the road closure will cause inconvenience, please be assured that everyone involved in the repair will do all that they reasonably can to reopen the road as soon as possible.”

Tim Barker, local Shropshire Councillor for Burnell, and Cecilia Motley, local Shropshire Councillor for Corvedale, said:

“Whilst it is obviously imperative and necessary that this work is carried out, it is to be hoped that it can be completed more quickly than scheduled, to minimise the disruption.  The alternative route should cause minimal disruption, but we do appreciate that this lane is much used and valued by all of us.”