Work under way to reopen bridge wrecked by lorry

A village bridge damaged when it was hit by a lorry is safe to use and work is under way to fully reopen it, a council has said.

The lorry smashed over one side of the brick bridge in Church Road, Swallowfield, on 11 February and it has remained closed to vehicles since then.

Wokingham Borough Council said it was waiting for concrete blocks to be delivered to form a temporary barrier between the road and the River Blackwater.

It said the road would be made narrower and temporary traffic lights would be installed, so journeys may temporarily take longer.

"The bridge and the road approaching it aren't suitable for articulated lorries, and there are signs warning drivers about this," it added.

The structure has been open to cyclists and pedestrians since the incident.

The council said last week that work to check the bridge was hampered by the level of the river, but its underside has now been checked using a camera.

A spokesperson for Ewals Cargo Care previously said the company was aware of a subcontractor operating one of its trailers in the "regrettable" incident.

"The circumstances are currently under internal investigation and full cooperation is being provided to the local authorities," they said.

Following the incident Thames Valley Police said no one had been arrested. The force was contacted to comment.