Villagers are delighted as bridge closes
Feb 12 2008 by Ben Guy, The Journal
AN announcement that a busy bridge over the River Tyne will be closed full-time for maintenance work has brought a relieved response from villagers.
Northumberland County Council had first intended to shut Ovingham bridge to carry out waterworks between 8am to 4.30pm for seven days from next Monday.
But now it has said that it will use the closure to carry out further essential maintenance works, which will result in the bridge being closed completely for that period.
The single-lane bridge is used by many motorists travelling to and from Prudhoe to the A69.
Coun Paul Macdonald, district councillor for Ovingham, said that although the closure would inconvenience some people, the reduction of traffic would be a relief for people living in the village. He said: “Ovingham, unlike Wylam, will not complain about the bridge being closed.
“The amount of traffic that the bridge generates in the rush hour just logjams the village.
“It becomes a battlefield for cars. The consensus of opinion among the people it has an impact on will be that for a week or so we are going to have peace and quiet and we will enjoy it.
“It will inconvenience some people, who have to use their cars to get to Prudhoe, but we will still have the bus for the pensioners, so for most the impact will be a positive one.”
Coun Macdonald added that the current upgrading work masked a more significant issue – the long-term viability of the bridge.
He said: “As a village we have been asking for quite some time that the bridge be looked at, because really a new bridge is needed.
“There are more important things to spend the money on, and we accept that, but if a new bridge was built, what a benefit that would be to the Tyne Valley.”
Last October The Journal reported how a Northumberland County Council-commissioned report had investigated five possible options for replacing or repairing the bridge, but all were found to be too expensive.
Coun John Smith, executive member for highways, said: “We have met with Fast Flow and it is clear that closing the bridge is the only option for these essential mains works.
“It makes sense for us to go in and carry out our own maintenance when the bridge is closed and keep disruption to a minimum.”
