Pulrose Bridge: £3.4m reconstruction project to take 12 months

A wider channel will be created to improve water flow under the new bridge

A £3.4m bridge replacement scheme is set to cause traffic disruption on a major route in Douglas next year.

The 12-month project to replace Pulrose Bridge will start in March, the Department of Infrastructure said.

Minister Tim Baker said the current bridge was nearly 90 years old and "ready to be replaced". It was "neither practical nor economically justifiable to extend its life further".

The replacement bridge is designed to last 120 years.

The new bridge will include cycle lanes on both sides

The construction of the existing bridge causes a bottleneck in the flow of the River Douglas, which can lead to flooding in the surrounding area.

Its replacement would "improve flow and reduce the possibility of debris causing blockages", added a government spokesman.

Traffic diversions will be put in place while the reconstruction takes place, however pedestrian access will be maintained.