Bridge works finish ahead of schedule

Bus companies are being informed so services can get back to normal from tomorrow.

David Barling, county councillor for Bramber Castle, said: “This has been a brilliant effort by West Sussex County Council staff, in conjunction with contractors Balfour Beatty, whose employees carried out the work efficiently and in record time and well ahead of the scheduled closure period.

“This has been despite the most appalling and miserable weather for people to work in. I would also like to thank residents and businesses in Bramber and Upper Beeding, who have had to put up with a lot of inconvenience while these very necessary works have taken place.

“If they hadn’t, we would have lost the bridge in a short period of time and weight restrictions would have been put on it, thus closing it to buses, which I know has caused a lot of inconvenience to local passengers.”

The bridge, which connects The Street in Bramber and High Street, Upper Beeding, has been closed since January 20. The fill material on the arch has been replaced with a stronger concrete material.

Repairs had to be made after a routine safety check found the bridge needed strengthening so buses and heavy vehicles could continue to cross it safely.

Pieter Montyn, county cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “We are delighted to announce these repairs have been completed ahead of schedule.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank residents for their patience while this work was being done.”