A6 Southbound to be closed overnight for bridge repairs at Oakley

From Thursday 18 June, Oakley Road Bridge will be closed 24/7 and the A6 southbound between the Clapham High Street junction and Bedford will be closed overnight for up to seven weeks to carry out vital bridge repairs.

This major piece of work has been in the planning for a long time. The bridge has previously been damaged by a vehicle hitting it at high speed on the A6, so repair works are required to ensure it is safe for the long-term future.

During these works, the bridge will not be able to support the weight of vehicles using it so it will need to be closed for the duration. A signed diversion route will be in place via Highfield Road. The footway over the bridge will remain open throughout the works.

The A6 southbound will also need to be closed overnight from 6pm to 6am during this time to enable the works to be carried out. A signed diversion route will be in place via Clapham.

While these roads are closed to enable the bridge repairs to be completed, other works including lighting and gully cleaning will be carried out to minimise any future disruption.

Councillor Charles Royden, Portfolio Holder for Transport said "This is a major piece of work to carry out significant bridge repairs over a busy dual carriageway. This piece of work has been planned in our annual programme of works, and due to the complex nature of the project we were unable to bring it forward when the full lockdown was announced and the roads were quieter. However, with people rightly staying at home where they can, I hope that these vital repair works will cause the minimum of inconvenience. The Council will be putting signage up in the area to inform road users about the project, and I would like to thank local residents, commuters and road users for their patience as these repairs are carried out."