Works to repair one of Warwickshire’s best-known listed ancient monuments is to begin next week.
Warwickshire County Council is pleased to announce that repair and restoration works on the Cole End River Bridge begins on Monday 13 September. The County’s Bridge Maintenance Team will begin work on the Bridge, which is located over the River Cole and carries the B4117 (Lichfield Road / Main Street).
Cole End Bridge, a Scheduled Ancient Monument and Grade ǁ listed Structure, is a nine-span masonry arch bridge constructed of red sandstone ashlar on the east elevation and brick to the west elevation.
The bridge was built in the Mid-16th Century and was widened towards the west in 1700. The bridge has previously been extensively repaired in the 19th and 20th Century.
The structure is suffering from significant stonework erosion to the arches, parapets and headwall and recently damaged by a vehicle impact Therefore, essential maintenance work is required to improve the road user safety and protect a valuable historic highway structure.
Work will be taking place from Monday 13 September 2021 to early December 2021 and is being coordinated to avoid clashing with other projects and events in the area.
When the scheme starts, the contractor will be typically working Monday to Friday 7.30am to 5pm, however, occasional weekend working and longer working hours may also be required.
The work is being planned to minimise traffic disruption as far as possible, however, due to the nature of the works and the width of the bridge, a full road closure is required to repair and restore the parapet, elevations and resurfacing the carriageway.
A signed diversion route will be set up while the road is closed and has been designed to avoid other works in the area. The road closure to the B4117 passing over the bridge is expected to be in place from 13 September 2021 for up to 11 weeks, with attempts to reopen as soon as possible.
Cllr Wallace Redford, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Transport and Highways said: “Warwickshire’s many historical sites are a major factor in what makes the county a great place to live, work and visit and I am very pleased that work is now poised to begin on the Cole End River Bridge, one of the county’s crowning glories.
“The works to this beautiful structure will focus on the significantly deteriorated and damaged stonework and ensure that his scheduled ancient monument can continue to support Warwickshire’s transport infrastructure for centuries to come.”
For further details and updates, including traffic management, for the Cole End River Bridge Works, visit: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/major-transport-construction-projects/b4117001-cole-end-river-bridge-coleshill/1
More information about roads and transport in Warwickshire can be found here: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/roadsandtransport