March 9, 2020 2.56 pm This story is over 59 months old

Four months of disruption set for Pelham Bridge repairs

In need of repairs for 60 years
Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Lincoln motorists will face four months of disruption at the beginning of 2021 after £770,000 of repair works to the city’s Pelham Bridge were approved.

Lincolnshire County Council officers told a meeting of the highway committee on Monday that they had been holding off re-waterproofing the busy road due to other infrastructure projects, including the Lincoln Eastern Bypass, for a number of years.

However, the bridge has not been re-proofed since it was opened by the Queen more than 60 years ago and water has been entering and damaging the structure for a while.

A number of expansion joints are also in need of replacement.

The bridge will not be completely closed while works are taking place, however, lanes will be closed at various points causing congestion.

“The work is necessary, we’ve been holding off for some years,” said Richard Waters, principal engineer at Lincolnshire County Council.

“Once the bypass is open we would hope drivers will seek alternative routes into and out of the city to reduce congestion across the bridge.”

The local authority estimates that the repair works to the bridge will cost £700,000.

However, further design and site supervision fees are expected to bring the total bill for the scheme to £770,000.

The project will be paid for from the county council’s capital budget, funded by the Department for Transport’s highways asset protection grant.

Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

As part of the plan, the footpath on the bridge will be closed for part of the works as pedestrians will be diverted to the High Street to cross the train tracks at the level crossing.

Further works are planned to take place to repair damage done by the water to the bridge piers at a later date, however, Mr Waters said this work needed to be completed first. 

The Pelham Bridge scheme  is due to start in January 2021 and last for four months.

SUBSCRIBE TO LOCAL DEMOCRACY WEEKLY, our exclusive email newsletter with highlights from coverage every week, as well as insights and analysis from our local democracy reporters.