Temporary Bus Service Initiated After Bridge Closure

A temporary bus service has been established subsequent to the “unavoidable” emergency closure of a 185-year-old bridge. According to Staffordshire County Council, Branston Bridge was closed last week because lorry drivers consistently disregarded the 7.5 tonne weight restriction. Currently, the bridge remains accessible solely to pedestrians and cyclists, pending the discovery of a resolution. Commencing Monday, the service will operate between Branston and Burton town centre, running six days a week. This service will operate from 08:30 GMT to 18:30 GMT, traversing Branston Road and Burton Road, completing a loop around Regents Park before heading back to Burton. Mark Deaville, the councillor overseeing highways, stated: “Whilst the emergency closure of Branston bridge has been unavoidable as we must protect people’s safety, we understand the need for connectivity for Branston residents into Burton town centre.” He added: “We will inform people of further developments as we work hard to find a solution to enable vehicles to access the bridge again.” The bridge reportedly suffered from structural problems and had previously been subject to restrictions for vehicles exceeding 7.5 tonnes in weight and 2.3 m (7.5ft) in width.