**PRESS RELEASE FROM EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE COUNCIL**
Residents, businesses and other organisations are invited to attend a second event to find out updated information about a major bridge repair and road works scheme.
Representatives from East Riding of Yorkshire Council will be at Snaith and Cowick Town Council office on Monday 15 June to talk about the project to repair Newland Bridge, which carries the A645 over the River Aire, and also to improve some road surfaces in several locations.
The work on the bridge is scheduled to start the week of 20 July and it is anticipated that it will be completed this winter.
The bridge will be closed for the duration of the work and parts of the A645, from Rawcliffe Roundabout to Drax, will be closed to all but local access traffic.
There will be diversions on the A614 at its junction with the eastern part of the A645, the A1041 and the western section of the A645 to Drax village for all traffic except HGVs.
This diversion will pass through Rawcliffe, Snaith and Carlton but, to minimise traffic on the route hauliers and HGV traffic travelling into the area is requested to use the M62, A19, A63 and A1041 in order to avoid Snaith and the potential congestion.
Local businesses are also being requested to keep their HGV traffic on the motorway diversion route to avoid the local A road diversion and Snaith.
Other routes that road users may wish to use are the A1 (M)/A63 and the A63 between Barlby and Howden
A temporary one-way traffic system in Market Place, Snaith will be introduced, as well as 3 way temporary traffic lights in the town centre for the duration of the project.
Current weight restrictions on the A1041 will remain in place and unchanged.
Earlier this year highway maintenance work was carried out in Snaith, Rawcliffe and Pollington to reduce the likelihood of any such work being required during the closure period. Line marking refreshing on the diversion routes is planned to be in place in advance of the closure.
Councillor Symon Fraser, portfolio holder for capital programme asset strategy, asset management, housing and environment at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “We have worked very closely with our partners, including North Yorkshire County Council, to try to ensure we minimise the impact on residents, businesses and commuters during this work.
“It is a very important scheme because the bridge repairs are essential and improving the transport infrastructure of the East Riding is one of the council’s top priorities.”
“Closing the bridge and using diversion routes is the only practical solution to enable the repair works to be carried out however the contractor will take advantage of the light nights and work as many hours as possible each day.”
“The project will have long-term benefits for residents and motorists and we ask people to be patient and understanding while we work as quickly as possible to complete the work.
“I would also encourage people to go along to the open day on 15 June to find out more about the project, ask questions and flag up any issues they might have.”
East Riding of Yorkshire Council successfully bid for £1.5million of the Local Growth Fund from the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership towards the bridge project and will contribute further funds to improve the maintenance and traffic management of the local road network.
The council has worked with North Yorkshire County Council and Drax Power Station on the scheme and has consulted extensively with town and parish councils as well as residents and businesses. It held an open day event in January so people could have advance information about the work and diversions. National road haulage associations have been advised too so the closure message can be passed to their members.
The open event at Snaith and Cowick Town Council office, in Market Place, Snaith, will include presentation information about the bridge and road improvement works and the traffic management plans for the diversion routes. It will run from 2-6pm on Monday 15 June.
Anyone unable to attend the event can contact a645newland.bridge@eastriding.gov.uk or visit www.eastriding.gov.uk and search for Newland Bridge for more information.
