Ditchford bridge closure on hold after A45 delay

The Ditchford Lane bridge over the River Nene, to the east of Wellingborough, was due to close from October 21 to December 20 so it could be strengthened.

A contraflow system has been in place on the nearby A45 since the start of 2019 so a bridge could be re-built and the road was supposed to re-open on October 16, five days before the Ditchford Lane closure.

Earlier this week Network Rail announced the A45 would now not fully open until early November - meaning the closures would overlap and cause chaos for commuters.

But today Northamptonshire County Council said that, in light of the A45 delay, they would put the Ditchford Lane bridge closure on hold.

A spokesman said: "Ditchford Lane won’t be closed until after the contraflow on the A45 has been removed.

"Originally it was to be October 16 and therefore the start of Ditchford Lane bridge works [would be] on October 21, but this was reliant on Network Rail's works.

"Once we know a definitive date we can be in a better position to programme these works, which have to be complete before the A45 Chowns Mill roundabout works start – which is provisionally after Christmas."