Bridge damage triggers fresh call for bypass

A councillor has renewed calls for a bypass to be built around Kelham Bridge after it was damaged in a crash.

Mrs Sue Saddington, who represents Kelham on Nottinghamshire County Council and is the authority’s vice-chairman, said a bypass should be a priority to avoid further traffic chaos.

Kelham Bridge, a Victorian structure on the A617 between Newark and Southwell, was hit by a car at 7.30pm on Friday.

The bridge is narrower than the main road and heavy goods vehicles have to give way to oncoming traffic before they can safely cross.

Temporary traffic lights installed to control traffic using the bridge were removed on Tuesday.

The county council said a Kelham bypass was a key aspiration but there were no funding sources available to deliver a project on that size and scale, estimated to cost £15m to £20m.

Mrs Saddington said she was not surprised the bridge had been struck and described it as an accident waiting to happen.

“Heavy goods vehicles are using that bridge, often two at a time, either in the same direction or at opposite sides of the bridge and one has to stop for the other,” she said.

“I wonder how much longer this beautiful old bridge can take that amount of weight.

“If an HGV had hit the bridge at the weekend, we may well have a very different problem.”

Traffic problems

Mrs Saddington was concerned the accident would compound traffic problems in and around Newark.

“The diversions when the bridge is repaired will be through rural villages that will cause problems to their small roads because they won’t be built for heavy goods vehicles,” she said.

Mrs Saddington said the county council was looking into the possibility of a bypass but she recognised the cost of such a project had to be balanced against everything else.

On Monday she emailed every officer at the county council’s highways department, calling for a Kelham bypass to be made a priority.

She said the traffic problems around Newark made people late for appointments and were affecting businesses, and would be exacerbated by any closure for repairs.

In her email to officers, she said: “Last time the bridge was repaired, part-way through the repair, new stones had to ordered to match those on the bridge, which lengthened the repair and diversions.

“There was much criticism of Nottinghamshire County Council — please ensure this does not happen again.

“It is only a couple of months or so ago that the coping stones were knocked off the bridge on the south side by a lorry, which continued to scrape along the bridge towards Kelham village — the white mark is still there.

“In the light of yet another accident on the bridge, I urge everyone who has influence, to push the request for a Kelham bypass up to priority.”

Bridge damaged several times

Mr John Cottee, community and place committee chairman, said: “The proposed Kelham Bypass remains a key aspiration of the county council.

“This would also involve a new bridge across the Trent south of Kelham village to upgrade the A617 and help reduce traffic delays between Newark and Mansfield.

“It is estimated this would cost around £15m-£20m. Unfortunately there has been no external funding sources available to be able to deliver a project on this size and scale.

“However, we are updating and reviewing an existing feasibility study for a new bypass, to make sure a scheme is as ready as possible should an external funding opportunity arise.”

The bridge has been damaged many times before in accidents involving vehicles.

A car crashed into the bridge in February, 2013, dislodging a parapet and making it unstable.