Hopes for work on Bewdley bridge

Essential repairs are to be carried out on the landmark Bewdley Bridge by the end of the year, it was revealed today.

Calls were made for work to be carried out on the Grade I listed structure two months ago amid fears years of floods and heavy traffic had taken their toll on the 200-year-old bridge.

But campaigners were left concerned as while repairs had been promised by Worcestershire County Council no timescale had been set for the work would begin.

Officials from the authority today revealed critical works including repairs to the parapet columns over the flood arches would take place before the end of the year. But they admitted lesser cosmetic repairs to the bridge would take place when resources allowed.

The authority said it was awaiting planning permission to carry out the necessary works on the bridge.

Town councillor Derek Killingworth said: "While we had been assured work would take place there were concerns as we had not been told the timescale of the plans.

"The longer it is left the worse the situation will get and the more extensive the repairs will need to be."

Bewdley Civic Trust have also written to the authority expressing concern over the bridge. Spokesman Richard Perrin said: "This is a situation we are monitoring very closely."

Project engineering manager for Worcestershire County Council Richard Attwood said: "Bewdley Bridge is a listed structure which means planning approval must be obtained before work can start."

Campaigners have also called for a restriction on lorries using the bridge saying it places unnecessary strain on the structure.