EIGHT months after Lydney’s Newerne Street Bridge was battered by floodwaters and further damaged in a car crash, repair work is finally set to begin this summer.

The bridge, which crosses the River Lyd just a short walk from the town centre, was left in a fragile state after Storm Bert hit in November 2024.

Torrential rainfall caused the river to burst its banks, with floodwaters weakening the stone structure.

Then in December, before the council could carry out a full assessment, a vehicle collided with the bridge, hitting the already-compromised parapet and causing even more damage.

The route was shut completely from Friday, November 24, cutting off a key link between Newerne Street and Hams Road. Since January, only a single lane has been in operation, controlled by temporary traffic lights.

Now, Gloucestershire County Council has confirmed that long-awaited repairs will begin on July 28 and are expected to last until August 15.

The road will remain open throughout the works but continue to operate under temporary two-way signals.

A structural inspection carried out in December found one of the parapets had cracked down to the arch below and had to be carefully dismantled before engineers could conduct a diving inspection of the bridge’s underside.

That dive, carried out in January, confirmed that the core of the structure was safe for traffic to resume using it, but only under controlled conditions.

In a March update, the council said the design for the repair scheme was nearing completion and was awaiting final approval from the Environment Agency before work could be scheduled.

The council has not confirmed whether there will be any further closures later in the year, but for now, the town is being reassured that the end of the disruption is in sight.