THE Bromyard Road will remain open until the New Year, meaning travel for people in the Ledbury area won’t be such a headache during the Christmas period.

The road was set to be closed on November 28 for work to begin on replacing the bridge deck of Storesbrook Bridge, situated on the B4214 between Staplow and Ledbury.

This is the second time a start date for the work has slipped. The first date given was November 1.

But Herefordshire Council’s decision to postpone the work again is not really down to seasonal good will; it’s because the ordered new bridge decking will arrive later than expected.

A Herefordshire Council spokesman said: “Storesbrook bridge was scheduled to close on Wednesday November 28 but the new replacement bridge deck, which is being constructed off-site, will arrive later than originally anticipated.

“The bridge will now remain open over the Christmas and New Year period and close in early January 2019.”

The spokesman added: “While preparatory works could progress prior to the bridge’s arrival, there is no benefit to users in closing the structure for longer than absolutely essential.

“It is therefore necessary to push the entire work programme back to maintain the minimum 13-week closure period necessary.”

The bridge was inspected again this week and the verdict was that it is “safe to remain open to all traffic as there has been no further deterioration in its ageing condition”.

The spokesman said: “It remains the council’s priority to replace the deck structure as soon as practicable.

“The bridge will continue to be inspected on a regular basis to ensure it remains safe to use but, assuming that it does not have to be closed early on safety grounds, it will now close in early January and reopen in early April 2019.”

Andy Williams, Balfour Beatty Living Places, Hereford said: “We are sorry if the change in closure plan causes any inconvenience for road users, however others may welcome the fact that it will now be open during the Christmas and New Year period.

“We will be writing to all local residents and business to update them and we will provide further updates.”