Work to repair the A422 bridge over Farthinghoe Stream in the south of the county is now scheduled to start next month.
As the structure is over a water course, Northamptonshire County Council working with Northamptonshire Highways required consent from the Environment Agency before works could start. This permission has now been granted.
The Environment Agency has imposed additional conditions on the initial proposals for the repair. These are in connection with a culvert lining and the installation of a mammal ledge.
So conditions can be met – work will start in mid-November and is scheduled to last for three weeks.
A spokesman for Northamptonshire County Council said: “We appreciate that there has been considerable disruption and inconvenience for people and we’re glad that we’re able to give an indication of when the work will be able to take place.
“When we close a road and put a diversion in place we must provide an alternative route on a similar standard of road. Diversions are carefully chosen to follow roads of a suitable standard and width to carry all traffic and avoid weight restrictions.”
Lots of constituents have been in touch with me in recent weeks about the closure of the Farthinghoe bridge and the A422, and people have been looking for the road to re-open as soon as possible.
I’ve been in contact with Northamptonshire County Council and Northants Highways regarding the matter. I know they have all been working very hard behind the scenes to accelerate the repair works. I am thankful for the Transport Portfolio Holder at the County Council, Cllr Ian Morris, for his keen attention to the situation.
The Environment Agency has now given their consent for the works to proceed, subject to certain ecological protections being considered, and I understand that the repairs will take about three weeks to complete. It is the aim of Northants Highways to have the road reopened before Christmas, and they will be on site very soon.
The A422 was closed from the recycling centre junction to New Road junction in August after a routine inspection found it to be unsafe for all motorised vehicles.