THE BROMYARD Road is finally re-open for traffic, following the long restoration of the Victorian Storesbrook Bridge, throughout the winter.

But road inspections near the bridge will now be the order of the day.

The bridge near Staplow was still shut on the morning of Friday, April 13, but it was open to traffic by the evening, bringing to a close a sequence of works that began over three months ago.

But the hard work is not over yet for Herefordshire Council contractors who now plan to inspect roads and side-roads near the bridge, because they have endured higher than usual traffic levels , due to the bridge closure.

A Hereford Council spokesman said: “We are delighted that works to replace the Storesbrook Bridge deck are now complete and the B4214 road has now reopened.

“Over the coming weeks we will be inspecting the roads around the bridge which have experienced a higher volume of traffic while the B4214 was closed, to repair any defects and verges as required. “

The spokesman added: “We would like to thank the local community and the travelling public for their patience; the new bridge will serve the local community for many decades to come.”

The news of the bridge re-opening has been widely welcomed.

Posting of the Voice of Ledbury Facebook site, Terry Fleetwood said: “No medals given, just to say - about time”.

Louise Holloway said: “Finally I can take the normal route to work. It needs a paint job though.”

But Craig Kinnear said: “ For those of you not happy with the aesthetics of the new bridge, what did you expect?.......Sydney Harbour Bridge, or the Golden Gate suspension bridge, I mean its only a thirty foot stretch of a B road that crosses a stream, some people are never happy.”

The bridge dates back to the end of the Victorian period.

Although the decking was made of steel, the metal had become badly eroded and was even full of holes in places.

During the bridge work, it was also revealed that the collapse of the bridge could have led to a widespread and long-lasting broadband internet blackout in the Ledbury area, because the bridge supports one of the main internet cables for the area.

This cable had to be supported carefully while the old bridge decking was lifted by crane and the new bridge decking was set it place.

The Bromyard Road is one of the main routes north for Ledbury people heading to Worcester and beyond.