Long detours during week of listed bridge repairs
GoogleDrivers are facing long detours this week as a section of road is closed to repair damage to a Grade II listed bridge.
A stretch of the A683 near Sedburgh in Cumbria will be shut between 09:30 and 14:30 GMT to allow work to be completed on Straight Bridge.
The closures run each day from Monday until Friday with diversions in place, however the routes cover a large area owing to the remote location of the road. Emergency vehicle access maintained throughout.
Westmorland and Furness Council apologised for any inconvenience and said the timing was scheduled to sit within school hours and outside the busiest travel times to minimise disruption.
The council said the works were necessary to protect both the heritage value and structural integrity of the Grade II-listed structure over the River Rawthey.
A heritage lime mortar mix is being used to meet conservation standards, with the timetable of closures subject to weather conditions suitable for lime mortar curing.
Two signed diversion routes will be available:
- Motorway traffic via the unrestricted section of the A683 Sedbergh, A685 Tebay, M6 and the A684
- Non motorway traffic via the unrestricted section of the A684 Sedbergh, U856 Kendal, A685 Tebay and A685 Kirkby Stephen
Councillor Peter Thornton, cabinet member for highways, said: "The repairs must be carried out from the bridge deck to reduce environmental impact and ensure the safety of the workforce, which requires closing the bridge while the team is on site working from an underbridge unit.
"This is essential maintenance on a historic structure to ensure the bridge and road remain safe for all highway users."
