GLOUCESTERSHIRE County Council says it is cutting red tape to deliver major road and infrastructure projects more quickly, following the successful restoration of the Tintern Wireworks Bridge.

The 146-year-old crossing between Tintern and Brockweir reopened in May 2023 after a £1.5 million restoration funded by the council.

The bridge is a Grade II listed structure with two designations, one from Cadw for the section in Monmouthshire and another from Historic England for the section in Gloucestershire.

An assessment in 2021 had found the bridge to be unsafe due to severe corrosion, leading to its closure to vehicles in October that year. Full restoration work began in 2022, during which the bridge was closed completely.

The project included removing the timber deck and replacing it with steel, strengthening the structure with new box beams, grit blasting and repainting, and repointing the masonry supports.

The Wireworks Bridge, which featured in the hit Netflix series Sex Education, remains an important link for residents, walkers and visitors on both sides of the River Wye.

Under the council’s new approach, groups of trusted contractors will be lined up in advance to take on projects straight away, avoiding lengthy bidding processes for each scheme. The aim is to cut delays, keep costs down and ensure communities benefit from improvements sooner.

Cllr Joe Harris, cabinet member for highways, said: “This is about cutting red tape and getting on with the job. People want smoother roads, safer junctions and stronger bridges, not delays and excuses. By lining up trusted contractors now, we can crack on with the big projects that will really make a difference.”

The new system is expected to come into effect in autumn 2025, with the first schemes starting in early 2026.

The council has already invested more than £45 million in major schemes since 2021, including the Wireworks Bridge.