THE Wye Bridge at Monmouth will be closed for ground investigation works over two nights next week, the council says.

Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) confirmed on social media this week that the bridge will be closed from Monday (June 5) to Wednesday (June 7) between the hours of 8pm and 6am, with managed access for pedestrians and cyclists during those hours.

The bridge, which has been suffering from a poor surface for a number of years, is overdue for repairs and has been a longstanding concern with MCC.

Improvement works have been on hold pending repairs to the structure of the railway arches and mains utility services. 

Those works are now complete and engineers have the design and contract documentation to resurface the highway and ensure that the link to the A466 is made fit for use. 

Work will commence to investigate the existing road base material which will allow the designer to assess the form of repairs required and prepare the detailed design and contract specification.

Once this work has been completed, the tender process will be with the expectation of construction works commencing between mid-July and up to the end of August when traffic flows are reduced.

Council officers will work with the contractor to agree the construction management plan.  Priority will be given to the safety of both the travelling public and the contractors’ workforce.

Plans for the resurfacing of the bridge were announced in January.

On the bigger, six-week project planned for the summer, a spokesperson for Monmouthshire County Council said in April: “We appreciate that these essential repairs will cause significant disruption due to the need for full closure of the road, resulting in a lengthy diversion route.

"In order to reduce the impact upon the local community, it is planned to carry out some of the work during night time or over the weekend. 

“Council officers will work with the contractor to agree the construction management plan.  Priority will be given to the safety of both the travelling public and the contractors workforce. 

“Details of the timings and potential disruption will be shared with the local community once the contractor has been appointed and the detailed programme has been confirmed.

"The road closures will follow the usual statutory process which includes wider consultation with highway users such as the hauliers, emergency services and other businesses who may be impacted during the works.” 

While details of any diversions are yet to be confirmed, it is likely to involve a lengthy drive through the Forest and Ross, particularly for larger vehicles.