Tamar Bridge work delays 'crucifying' local businesses

Resurfacing work takes place every 20 to 25 years

Resurfacing of a major bridge between Devon and Cornwall is damaging local businesses, it has been claimed.

A recycling firm boss said work on the Tamar Bridge near Plymouth was "crucifying" and he may have to lay off some of his 45-strong workforce.

The six-month £6m resurfacing of all three lanes is due to be completed in October.

The work has to be done in the summer when the weather is driest, the bridge operator said.

Brian Venables, who runs Brunel Recycling in Saltash on the Cornwall side of the bridge, said: "It's been crucifying, in a nutshell.

"I understand it needs to be done, and there is never a good time for a downtime in any business, but it is really killing us at the moment.

"We have worked out it out losses at about £10,000 a week.

"We are actively looking at if we need to scale back and lay people off to cope, which I don't want to do."

Snarl-ups leading to the bridge are causing headaches for firms

Cafe owner Emma Ball said customers were "frightened" to drive to the cafe "because of being stuck in traffic for God knows how long".

Sarah Martin, chair of Saltash Chamber of Commerce, said livelihoods had been affected but the repairs would last 20 to 25 years.

"It's having an impact, but it's a massive job," she said.

In the last 20 years, the bridge has carried about 300 million vehicles, its operator the Joint Committee of the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry said.

Joint chair Martin Worth said: "The work has to be done in the summer.

"We need the warmer weather and the lack of rain to be able to do the resurfacing."

He advised drivers to avoid peak times and said teams were "working every hour of the day to maximise traffic flows".