Road to close for 18 weeks for bridge rebuild

Tess RushinLocal Democracy Reporting Service
News imageLeicestershire County Council Image shows Zouch Bridge which is brown and is going across a field with very long grass and yellow flowers. There are trees the other side of the bridge and there are pylons above it. The sky is blue and it appears to be a sunny day. Leicestershire County Council
The 90-year-old Zouch Bridge is set to be replaced soon

Drivers travelling between Hathern and Zouch face an 18-mile (29km) diversion for several months due to a bridge closure.

Work is set to start on a £19.5m rebuild of Zouch Bridge on the A6006, which was built in 1930 and has been slowly deteriorating.

The bridge will be closed to motor vehicles for at least 18 weeks and inaccessible to pedestrians, horse riders and other traffic for eight weeks.

A Leicestershire County Council spokesperson said: "We appreciate that any long‑term closure is challenging for local communities and road users, and we are working closely with partners to complete the works as safely and efficiently as possible."

The A6006 will close between Zouch Road, Hathern and Main Street, Zouch, from the junction with Derby Road, Hathern and Upper and Lower Holme, Main Street, Zouch, from Monday 2 March.

The proposed diversion route will be via the A6, A453, A52 and the A60.

The county council said people would be able to access premises within the closure boundary while the construction work was carried out.

Work on the scheme is scheduled to be completed by early 2027, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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