Cleveland Bridge reopens after extensive works

Cleveland Bridge in Bath is a grade-II* listed structure

A 200-year-old bridge has reopened to two-way traffic after months of repair work with an 18-tonne weight limit now in place.

Works on Cleveland Bridge in Bath have been carried out in the past year after "significant" corrosion was found.

Traffic signals and local traffic management were removed from the Grade II*-listed structure on Sunday.

A weight monitoring system is in place with ANPR cameras installed to capture any weight breaches.

In 2019, Bath and North East Somerset Council said the bridge needed "significant" repairs, and work began in June 2021.

Councillor Manda Rigby, cabinet member for Transport, said: "As ever, our prime motivation in doing these works on the historic bridge is to ensure that safety comes first."

She said the bridge would be "closely monitored" and added that drivers who flouted the restrictions could "face prosecution" by Trading Standards or be issued with a fixed penalty notice.

Ms Rigby said the final masonry works would take place in the coming weeks now that scaffolding had been removed.

"I really want to thank businesses and residents living on and near Cleveland Bridge for their patience during this complex refurbishment of a 200-year-old structure," she added.

Throughout spring and summer engineers carried out careful and detailed assessments, as well as further computer modelling, following the discovery of unexpected corrosion in hanger bars at the start of year.