Pipes and cables found in bridge shut for repairs

A number of service pipes and cables have been discovered in the structure of a 185-year-old bridge, which is shut for repairs.

Work is progressing at Branston Bridge, near Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire, council bosses said but the discovery was not expected and the cables will need diverting.

Bosses said they had now excavated part of the bridge in order to create a new concrete "saddle" for it.

The bridge was closed to all traffic in November as some lorry drivers were ignoring weight restrictions.

The council said the work would cost more than £500,000 but once complete will last for 10-15 years, allowing the authority time to make plans for a replacement bridge.

They hoped to minimise disruption, they said, and fully reopen the bridge for two-way traffic in April or May.

Pedestrian and cyclist access is being maintained throughout the works, but cyclists will have to dismount to cross the bridge.

The councillor in charge of highways, Mark Deaville said the location and number of pipes and cables uncovered was impossible to have foreseen before the work began.

"Although we surveyed the bridge extensively before crews started work, there is never any guarantee of what you're working with until you start excavating," he said.

He added: "They're pulling out all the stops to ensure that this has a minimal impact on the progress of the overall programme, as we know people in Branston want the bridge reopened as soon as possible – as we do."

The work is set for completion in the summer.

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