Temporary bus service after bridge closure

The 185-year-old bridge is in need of repair

A temporary bus service has been set up following the "unavoidable" emergency closure of a 185-year-old bridge.

Branston Bridge was closed last week after lorry drivers repeatedly ignored the 7.5 tonne weight limit, Staffordshire County Council said. The bridge is now only open to pedestrians and cyclists until a solution is found.

From Monday, the service will be put in place between Branston and Burton town centre, operating six days a week.

The service will run between 08:30 GMT and 18:30 GMT, operating through Branston Road and Burton Road, turning around the Regents Park loop before returning to Burton.

Mark Deaville, the councillor responsible for highways, said: "Whilst the emergency closure of Branston bridge has been unavoidable as we must protect people’s safety, we understand the need for connectivity for Branston residents into Burton town centre.

"We will inform people of further developments as we work hard to find a solution to enable vehicles to access the bridge again.”

The bridge is said to have been experiencing structural issues and was previously restricted to vehicles weighing no more than 7.5 tonnes with a width limit of 2.3 m (7.5ft).