Extensive repairs are required to the Town's main access bridge that require the bridge deck to be dug up and replaced. This work is scheduled to be undertaken early in 2012, but could see the bridge closed for several months. As all the alternate routes into town either rely on very narrow roads or steep hills with sharp bends, concern is growing about how both goods for sale and customers will be able to get into town, especially if we have another hard winter.
Although plans have been discussed to install a temporary pedestrian bridge, many customers who live to the north of the River Teme, have been telling shopkeepers that they will simply go elsewhere.
Unofficial surveys have been carried out and it appears possible to build a temporary bridge between the Fire Station and the Old Cattle Yard. Although this will add considerably to the cost of the project, it could be enough to stop a number of shopkeepers shutting shop and moving away.
In recent weeks confusing and contradictory diversion signs and road closure notices have been appearing around Tenbury. On Saturday a sign was placed on the North side of Teme Bridge saying Road Closed Ahead, when the closure was at St Michael's. A number of people followed the diversion signs only to find themselves on the wrong side of the closure to access the town centre.
The recent bridge closures which were advertised as being from 6am to 6pm, were in fact for much shorter durations, but a number of traders and publicans reported a severe drop in custom during whole day.
There is also concern that looking at the schedule, once the bridge work is complete, the Teme Street drains need to be replaced, the road is to be resurfaced and all the public realm work is to be undertaken, including resurfacing the pavements. Whilst this is all essential work for the long term prosperity of the Town, it could see up to a year of disruption and inconvenience and could well see many shops cease trading.
Update after Town Council Meeting 6/6/11
Cllr Pollock (WCC) said that the project for the repair of the Teme Bridge had reached the detailed design phase.
He accepted that there would be economic disruption, but said part of the planning included improving alternate routes and said that the diversionary routes would be gritted.
He also said that he felt that a temporary vehicle bridge would be unaffordable.
Cllr Grove was asked if the shops business rates could be cancelled during the closure period, but he felt that this is not something that MHDC could fund.
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24 comments:
If we have another hard winter, and we probably will, can the council guarantee that the narrow twistie steep roads will remain passable?
I, like many I assume, work out of town, not being able to get to work is bad enough, however not being able to get back home at the end of the day is an altogether different prospect...
But then the other argument is if we have another hard winter will the bridge stay standing. It needs fixing so if you need to make a detour so be it. I drive across the bridge to work every day I for one won't mind it being closed if it means they are repairing it.
The County Council says the bridge has no problem with 40 ton trucks so there is no risk of it falling down!
There is when water gets into cracks and then freezes it expands and makes the cracks bigger. To the point where it will fail. Didn't you ever do geography at school. Yes geography is not all about where places are
I suggest a letter by as many as possible to our local MP raising the issue with her - maybe the council should be laying on a free bus servie for the duration of the works so those in Burford can still shop in Tenbury.
How would a free bus service get from Burford to Tenbury when the bridge is shut?
Three MPs are involved: Burford (Dunne), Tenbury/Eastham (Baldwin) and Little Hereford (Wiggin).
Burford and Tenbury lose their bridge - but it's the lanes through Little Hereford and Eastham that will get blocked by traffic using the shortest alternative routes
It was £1 million estimated repairs in 2006, as the work has been delayed for nearly 5 years it must realistically be substantially more - say for the sake of argument £2 million now..
Why not spend those monies on a modern bridge and relief road [for example] downstream - say across the fields from Burford Hospital or upstream of the Teme Bridge across the fields nr Burford House.
That way the use of Thomas Telford's old Teme Bridge could be scaled-down for pedestrian, cycle and emergency vehicles only.
This could take the strain off the old bridge [which is also an important scheduled ancient monument] while ridding that end of town of HGV traffic, 5pm queues and much of the structural concerns brought on by increasing HGV use. As a spin off it'd be a more picturesque spot which could enhance the tourist draw too.
bumble bee what a load of rubbish
A free bus service may alleviate the amount of traffic in the near by lanes.......
So copy the letter to the 3 MPs, not beyond the wit of most.
Bumblebee....i don't think £2 mil would even touch a new bridge...not your bset idea ;o)
Ok Mr/Mrs Anonymous - so what's your proactive suggestions to help? We're all ears..
Mr/Mrs Anonymous
Still waiting for your ideas.
You've got a good point there Mr Rugby Fan - I should have said that it should 'go towards' a set of developments with a longer term aim in mind..
I still think the ultimate scaling-down of the old Teme Bridge is an interesting idea though [on a number of levels] if another structure is in place..
Road closed sign on bridge again this morning (on Shropshire side) with a diversion signposted off in the Kidderminster direction
the bridge wasn't closed it was the rochford road that was closed. they are resurfacing with that stupid stone chip stuff
Has anyone got a telephone number we could ask some questions about these well informed signs ?.
Signage is a County issue and Tenbury's County Councillor is Ken Pollock: 01299 896587, mobile: 07899 794858
The diversion signs were certainly confusing. I was diverted at the Crow Turn and directed toward the bridge, I followed the diversion and ended up heading for Kidderminster.
It's a free country and I just wanted to drive with flexibility in my car. Instead I seem to have been halted by petty local govt policies with their bridges. I'm thinking about an amphibian car for my next purchase though. I need the flexibility as my Austin Metro can't cope with the water in the carb anymore. Personally I blame Tesco.
The A443 was flooded again on Sunday. They should fix the drains.
Why can't they do the work in two halves like Holt Fleet bridge which appears not so wide as ours? It might take longer but at least cars will still have access to Tenbury via traffic control over the bridge. The work is still being carried out on Holt Fleet Bridge so any councillors who need to view could do so at present.
Because holt fleet bridge doesn't have a bend in it and are able to let cars over. Tenures bridge is too narrow with it's bend
The pavement either side is half the size on the Holt fleet bridge, couldn't we cut into the pavement size on Tenbury's bridge to gain the extra space short term as the traffic would be slow moving while work was carried out? Or do the work half and half up to the bend and then close the bridge only when the work on the bend needed to be completed?
I don't want to second guess the engineering report, but suspect the whole road bed will have to be dug out. The pavements aren't (officially) load bearing (I know vehicles do put their wheels up). This means there is no option but to close the bridge, as it wouldn't be possible to leave an open carriage way of sufficient width.
There is also the additional challenge of English Heritage imposing certain conditions which restrict the available engineering solution.
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