THE A4440 Southern Link Road will be closed tonight to allow a new railway bridge to be put in place. Here is everything road users will need to know. 

Q. When will the road be closed and for how long? 

A. The road will be closed for a week. It will be closed from 8pm on Thursday, May 24, to 6am on Friday, June 1.

Q. Where is the road closure?

A. The section of Worcester Southern Link Road between Whittington and Norton roundabouts.

Q. What is the reason for the closure? 

A.  Worcestershire County Council's aim is to dual the road from the M5 to Powick roundabout in Worcester. As part of this project, a new 1500 tonne railway bridge extension will be built over the A4440. The extension has been built next to where it will eventually sit, and will be maneuvered into place over the week.

Q. Will the railway line be closed? 

A. The railway line will also be closed from Saturday 26 May to Thursday 31 May. Great Western Railway will provide replacement buses between Worcester Shrub Hill and Pershore.

Q. How many people will be affected by the closure?

A. More than 30,000 cars use the road every weekday.

Q. Where will the diversions be?

A. A diversion route will be signposted. The map shows the diversion which will take cars over Bath Road, London Road and Whittington Road.

Worcester News:

Facts and figures

More than 22,000 tonnes of soil will be removed during the works.

The bridge will be lifted as a whole and moved into place to within 30cm of the existing bridge using a piece of machinery called a self-propelled modular transporter (SPMT).

The new railway track will be replaced. This will include 112 metre long of track and 1200 tonnes of new ballast.

Now watch how the new railway bridge will be moved into place