Newtown Road tunnel closed road reopens as bridge 'crumbles'

These photos show the poor condition of Newtown Road tunnel and railway bridge in Worcester which was closed on Monday after reports of falling bricks.

This resulted in the temporary 'emergency' closure being granted by highways bosses to Network Rail as rush hour traffic ground to a halt on what is one the city's main arterial routes for drivers.

Although Newtown Road in Worcester was open again by Tuesday morning, the closure caused gridlock during Monday's evening rush hour and the photos are bound to raise concerns about the condition and safety of the bridge.

Network Rail has yet to release a statement about the closure, why the road was closed and why it was deemed safe to reopen it again.

CRACK: Large cracks pictured in a retaining wall near the junction of Newtown Road and Midland Road in Worcester (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

The emergency closure caused traffic congestion in Worcester as the tunnel was coned off at both ends.

Photos show walls directly under the bridge in a crumbling condition and large zig-zag cracks on a retaining wall in the junction between Newtown Road and Midland Road.

We approached the Network Rail press office on the evening of the incident but have yet to receive any statement confirming details of why the tunnel was closed and what work, if any, still needs to be carried out.

DAMAGED: The crumbling bricks in the Newtown Road tunnel/railway bridge - an emergency closure was granted on Monday, June 10 (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

During the incident, the tunnel was not only closed to traffic but pedestrians who were warned by workmen not to walk on the footpath under the tunnel, many opting to walk along the road itself (then clear of any traffic because of the closure).

Workmen in orange tabards were not only in the tunnel itself but on bridge overhead by the railway tracks although trains were able to pass through.

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Chalk annotations had been left near some of the cracks but it is unclear at this stage whether this was a factor in the closure and how recent the annotations are. 

CLOSED: Newtown Road was closed at the tunnel/railway bridge on Monday as Network Rail sought an emergency closure (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

During the closure long queues of traffic built up on Newtown Road with diversions in place as contractors could be seen inspecting the bridge.

Traffic coming down Newtown Road was diverted right into Sherriff Street in Worcester while traffic from Tallow Hill, on the other side of the tunnel, was diverted into Midland Road.

In a statement, issued on X (formerly Twitter) on the day of the incident, a spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council Highways said: "Newtown Road tunnel is closed in Worcester for emergency works by Network Rail to allow repairs from trackside due to ballast falling onto carriageway."

Jon Fraser of Worcestershire Highways said Network Rail had requested the 'emergency closure'.