A MAJOR maintenance project on the Tamar Bridge is nearing completion – and all traffic management is expected to be lifted in time for the school Christmas holidays.

The £3.8m project to renew the bridge deck waterproofing system and kerb fixings first started in June 2019. Since then the different sections of the bridge have been closed at various times to allow this work to be done.

The phase of work involving the eastbound lane of the main deck of the bridge is set to be finished today (Sunday December 6). The vehicle restraint barriers will be removed from the bridge overnight on Sunday, with the nearside eastbound lane on the main deck then returning to normal running on Monday morning.

The opening of the eastbound lane will mark the end of the works on the bridge itself – but there’s still some work to be done on Network Rail property running under the bridge which will mean the northbound cantilever closing from tomorrow (Monday December 7) for seven days.

“The £3.8 million scheme has been essential to prevent the steel bridge deck from corroding and to ensure the continued safety of those crossing the bridge,” said a spokesperson for Tamar Crossings.

“Work has been continuing throughout the restrictions introduced as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.”

While today marks the completion of the main project, there is still a small amount of work to be carried out over Network Rail property, including the Gunnislake branch line which runs under the bridge. This work will be carried out in two stages – first on the north side of the Bridge and then on the south side.

The first stage will require the north cantilever lane to be closed to traffic for seven days from tomorrow (Monday December 7). Local Saltash traffic will be diverted onto the main deck of the bridge during this period. During this stage the south cantilever lane will also remain closed to pedestrians, cyclists and mobility scooters, with the minibus shuttle service and the scheduled bus service provided by our partner Roselyn Coaches continuing to operate.

Following the completion of the north cantilever works, all bridge traffic management arrangements will be removed and the south cantilever re-opened for pedestrians and cyclists, and the minibus shuttle service and bus service will both cease.

The contractor will then complete the final stage of work over Network Rail property including the Gunnislake branch line using local work zones that will allow pedestrians and cyclists to continue to use the south cantilever.

“We expect all outstanding works to be completed by 18 December, enabling the bridge to return to normal operation in time for the Christmas holidays,” said Tamar Crossings.

“We are very grateful to service users for their patience during this project and would also like to thank everyone who has used the minibus shuttle and bus services to cross the bridge.”