Sutton Swing Bridge over the Weaver is to finally be repaired

FOR MANY YEARS the Sutton Swing Bridge has given trouble and stopped navigation and the road traffic above

Even though it had a 'complete restoration' in 2014 that would 'last 50 years', reports Janet Friend.

Restoration cost £4.5 millions

A restoration that cost £4.5 millions but only lasted a very few years.

But now a 'revised' programme of essential repairs to the bridge has been devised in a bid to ‘significantly reduce disruption’.

The photograph shows the bridge in a rusty state before it was repainted.

Canal & River Trust plans to carry out works to the bridge, also known as Frodsham Bridge that celebrates its centenary next year, telling it requires vital works to replace and repair existing mechanical and electrical elements to ensure the 100-year-old structure is safe and fit for purpose.

Carries the busy A56

The bridge carries the busy A56 road over the river close to where it joins the Manchester Ship Canal and is an important road bridge.

At first the trust insisted it would want five weeks for contractors to close the bridge, but this was not accepted by the Highways people, and so its road stoppage was cut to just  one week for its stoppage..

The required work will be to re-wire the electrics of the bridge, install new signalling, navigation lights, replace the control system and drive motors.