Canal bridge to close for six weeks

A canal bridge will be closed for six weeks over the summer holidays to allow maintenance work to be carried out.

Sellars Bridge, which connects Sellars Road and Haywicks Lane in Hardwicke over the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal, will be closed from 22 July until 30 August.

While bridge deck maintenance is carried out, access to pedestrians and emergency services will not be maintained.

A 13-mile diversion route will be in place during the closure.

The official diversion route will redirect motorists through Quedgeley and Hardwicke, and down the A38 to the B4071 Perry Way through Frampton-on-Severn.

Those wishing to access the Severnside villages will also be able to do so via Rea Bridge, which connects the Green Farm area of Quedgeley with Stonebench, leading to Elmore.

According to the Canal & River Trust, the bridge requires repairs to its bearing, abutments and road plate.

The trust will also be making improvements "to lower the noise of traffic when using the bridge".

Road signage will be put in place a couple of weeks prior to the closure, with traffic management contractors dropping letters to residents to make them aware.

The navigation will remain open for boats throughout.

“Although the works are planned to take six weeks to complete, we will endeavour to be as efficient as possible and will re-open the bridge sooner if we are able," a spokesperson added.

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