A County Durham bridge has been closed to all traffic and pedestrians following an inspection.
Deerness Bridge, between Ushaw Moor and New Brancepeth, closed yesterday (April 13) and is expected to remain closed for at least a month.
Signed diversion routes for traffic and pedestrians are in place.
Alternative arrangements for bus services which normally use the bridge – part of the C18 road – are also in place.
John Reed, head of technical services at Durham County Council, said: “We have closed the bridge with immediate effect following an inspection which identified some issues with the structural integrity of the bridge, which is 110 years old.
“We are now assessing whether we can undertake any temporary measures to address these issues and enable the road to reopen.
“At this stage we anticipate that the bridge will be closed for at least a month but we will have a better indication of timescales once this assessment has been completed.”
Bus services affected by the closure of Deerness Bridge include the Arriva service 48 and Scarlet Band service 47 as well as school transport services to Durham Community Business College and St Leonard’s School.
The latest information about how bus services are affected is at www.durham.gov.uk/deernessbridge. Updates will be posted when they are available.
People can get more information on public transport by emailing sustainabletransport@durham.gov.uk or by contacting 03000 268 524 between 8.30am and 5pm.