Work starts on strengthen an ageing bridge on a busy road in Harborough

Work is going ahead to strengthen an ageing bridge on a busy road in Market Harborough.

Contractors began installing new bollards on the pavement on the 90-year-old bridge on Welland Park Road on Monday July 19.

The scheme to reinforce the structure - opened in 1931 – over the River Welland is expected to take two weeks and should be completed next week.

Cllr Ozzy O’Shea, Leicestershire County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "This is vital safety work to ensure we don't have to do more disruptive and costly repair work later.

“It also has the added benefit of stopping pavement parking, which is dangerous for pedestrians, can cause obstructions and disrupt traffic flow.”

He added: "We regularly check our bridges in Leicestershire and it is normal for sections of bridges to need extra support over time.

“By putting the bollards on the pavement of Welland Park Road bridge we are protecting the bridge and the vital utilities that run underneath the pavement."

The initiative is being carried out after engineers found the pavement on either side of the bridge between Coventry Road and Farndon Road to be “below strength”.

A county council spokeswoman said earlier this year: “During our usual highway inspections the team found the pavement of the bridge, which has the usual electric, gas main, etc, running under it, to be a bit below strength.

“To protect those sections of the bridge our plan is to install bollards so vehicles aren’t tempted to pull up on the pavement, weakening these sections further.”

She added: “The bridge is absolutely fine strength wise and we don’t want to alarm residents.

“It is just to protect the pavement of the bridge and the important utility services that run underneath it.”