Greyhound bridge reopening

Traffic is due to get back to normal in the centre of Lancaster when the Greyhound Bridge reopens on Sunday 7 October following a major repair scheme.

A £4m refurbishment project began in January to make sure the bridge retains the strength to carry big HGVs.

It will allow the temporary traffic system which has been in place while the Greyhound Bridge is closed, with vehicles running in both directions on Skerton Bridge, to be removed.

However there will be some disruption as work takes place to return the city centre roads to their previous layout.

The main ‘switchover’ will be carried out over next weekend. This will start at 7am on Saturday morning with a single lane opening on Greyhound Bridge Road. This will allow the closure of a single lane on Morecambe Road and over Skerton Bridge so that road markings, traffic signals, and signs can be changed back.

Parliament Street will also be closed for significant periods over the weekend with a diversion route in place via Greyhound Bridge and Morecambe Road.

County Councillor Keith Iddon, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “These major repairs to the Greyhound Bridge were needed to make sure we didn’t have to introduce a weight limit, and it will be many years before further maintenance is needed on this scale again.

“Closing such a major bridge is bound to cause some disruption, and we’re grateful for everyone’s patience while it has been closed, and particularly to those who have been most affected because they live, work or own businesses nearby.

“We’re looking forward to reopening the Greyhound Bridge, and would ask people to be particularly careful travelling in Lancaster city centre in the week leading up to this, as we’ll be making changes to the traffic management on the roads as we return them to normal.”

Lancashire County Council is aiming to re-open the road fully at around tea time on Sunday 7 October.

When the Greyhound Bridge reopens, it will feature a new bus-only lane to make bus journeys quicker and more reliable.

The new northbound bus-only lane will run from the bus stop on Cable Street south of the river and across Greyhound Bridge, before merging with general traffic again north of the river on Morecambe Road. Enforcement cameras will be introduced at a later date.

Work is due to resume in May 2019 to finish painting the bridge. The bridge will be kept fully open while this takes place, with only some short-term off-peak lane closures being needed to allow equipment and materials to be delivered.

The bridge had been due to reopen in late September, but persistent showers over previous weeks prevented progress with work to waterproof the bridge deck.