Two more months of road closures expected as Shrewsbury railway bridge repairs overrun

Work on cleaning, repairing and repainting railway bridges in Shrewsbury is expected to last two months longer than planned.

Further road closures are expected in Shrewsbury town centre as maintenance work on the Castle Foregate and Great Western railway bridges (between Star BBQ Kebab and The Shrewsbury Ark) is set to continue until November 8.

It was originally hoped the work, which began back in May, would be finished on Friday (September 11).

The work includes cleaning, repairs and repainting of the bridge structures, together with essential steelwork repairs and the installation of new pigeon-proofing mesh beneath the bridges.

But Network Rail said that since the scheme began, additional steelwork repairs were identified as being necessary before scaffolding could be fully erected and work progressed as originally planned.

Road closures

The bridges will remain open to vehicular traffic during daytime hours. However, to allow the contractor to safely undertake the remaining steel repairs, install the new pigeon-proofing mesh and subsequently dismantle the scaffolding, further temporary road closures will be required.

The closures will continue to affect Castle Foregate, Cross Street and Howard Street. During all closures, signed diversion routes will be in place and access for emergency services will be maintained at all times.

For the duration of the work, the footpath along Castle Foregate will remain closed to pedestrians. A signed pedestrian diversion route will continue to be provided, directing pedestrians to the footpath on the opposite side of the road.

Early-morning closures between 12.30am and 7am will continue every Sunday until November 8.

Network Rail said the closures provide the longest continuous period when no trains are running and are required to enable the remaining steelwork repairs to be undertaken safely.

Overnight closures between 8pm and 6am will also be required on several weeknights for the installation of new pigeon-proofing mesh and for the dismantling of scaffolding.

These closures will be in place from September 28 to October 1, October 5 to 8, October 12 to 15, October 18 to 19, October 25 to 26, November 1 to 2, and November 8 to 9.