‘Anger’ as bridge looks set to be closed for months
‘IT’S ALREADY CAUSING BIG PROBLEMS WITH DIVERSIONS’
ANGRY residents have spoken out after being told that Lady Bay Bridge could take as long as 12 weeks to reopen following a serious crash which destroyed part of the historic structure.
Nottinghamshire County Council reopened part of the bridge in one direction on Monday, with motorists leaving Nottingham able to use the road heading towards Rushcliffe thanks to the installation of temporary concrete barriers.
The bridge was initially closed in both directions for a week after a lorry crashed off the bridge on July 4. The driver did not suffer life-threatening or life-altering injuries.
Now, local residents have spoken out about the “ridiculous” timescale that has been set for the repairs, and the prospect of even more traffic on football matchdays with the start of the Premier League just around the corner.
Kevin Moore, 62, who lives in Holme Road, said: “I had no idea it would take that long, one side is free to drive through already. It’s ridiculous.
“The thing is it’s not even surprising is it, these things usually take up a stupid amount of time when they shouldn’t. It was a serious crash, of course, but it really shouldn’t take that long to fix the bridge.
“People need to get places and this is going to make it a lot more difficult. The traffic that was backing up last week was incredible, and now we’re going to have months of it.”
Sam Faraday, 32, who lives in Edward Road, said: “Yes it’s a shame, but in my head that’s exactly how long I thought it would be.
“It’s an area that lots and lots of people use every day and hopefully it’s being made a priority and hopefully it doesn’t actually take three months to sort out because it’s already causing big problems with traffic and diversions, so another three months will be difficult for people.
“And with football being back soon, which is something thousands of people will want to go to, especially now Forest are back in the Premier League, people might miss out on that. People coming from outside of Nottingham to watch the football might have a tougher time getting there – it couldn’t have happened at a worse time.”
Susan Biggley, 57, said: “It’s caused problems and it’s been an issue – particularly last week because you couldn’t go in or out. I’m glad everything’s moved swiftly with opening one part of the bridge, and it’s certainly eased traffic a little and there isn’t much congestion now.
“I do hope though that the repairs don’t take as long as what’s been said. We need that bridge fully reopened sooner rather than later.”
The council has commented on why outbound traffic has been prioritised.
Gary Wood, head of transport and highways on the council, said traffic leaving Nottingham was prioritised to reduce congestion in the city centre and to ensure the “safety and security” of its residents.
He adds the council is working with a specialist bridge contractor to speed up repair works, with materials being sourced to match its existing, historic style. The bridge’s parapet will be rebuilt to replicate its previous design and, where possible, Mr Wood says it will be reusing materials from the bridge.
Commenting on how long the work will take, he added: “We are very aware that Lady Bay Bridge is an important route in and out of the city, and following the accident we’re working really hard to get it reopened as soon as possible. It is anticipated that the full reopening will be in eight to 12 weeks, but we’re looking at every possible opportunity to accelerate this.
“Once the contractor has finalised their approach to the construction method, which will require substantial scaffolding, more accurate timelines will be provided.
“We will be keeping motorists and local residents updated as the work progresses, and would like to thank everyone for their patience whilst the re-building work is carried out.”