Newtown Road railway bridge 2 week closure: driver delays

The Newtown Road tunnel under the railway bridge in Worcester closed on Monday for two weeks following a safety inspection by Network Rail.

The closure is expected to cause disruption for drivers, particularly in the mornings and evenings, with traffic diverted onto Tolladine Road while work is carried out. 

DELAYS: The tunnel at the Newtown Road railway bridge is closed until September 15 after a Network Rail safety inspection (Image: Supplied)

A spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council said: "Newtown Road railway bridge in Worcester has been closed by Network Rail following a safety inspection Closure in place 24/7 until September 15 with a diversion in place via Tolladine Road; footway access maintained."

Information supplied on the Worcestershire Roadworks website shows that the closure has taken place for 'emergency works' which are underway 'to attend to the rotten timber section of the bridge'.

Some timbers have already collapsed and fallen into the carriageway and footway below.

COLLAPSED: The section of the Newtown Road railway bridge where timbers collapsed, forcing the closure of the road under the bridge to drivers (Image: Supplied)

 The work is due to last until September 15. We have approached Network Rail and Worcestershire County Council for further comment. A statement, issued on X by the county council, did not address whether rail services would be affected. 

We reported in June how the same section of road was closed 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 the following morning (Tuesday, June 11), the closure caused gridlock during Monday's evening rush hour.

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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.

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.

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'.