Residents in Cornwall are enjoying the benefits of an upgrade to the Saveock Bridge in Chacewater, west of Truro, after the vital route into and out of Truro city centre reopened to motorists on Friday, 14 October.

The completion of the bridge was welcomed by residents and Sarah Newton, MP for Truro and Falmouth, who cut the ribbon to officially reopen the road following 18 weeks of work that required the bridge to close.

The work forms part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan to provide a bigger, better, more reliable railway for passengers and was delivered on time and on budget.

The project involved the removal of the carriageway and existing bridge deck, the diversion of utility services such as electricity and gas lines, upgrades to the bridge’s structure, the installation of the new deck and the reconstruction of the carriageway.

The complete replacement of the deck will ensure the safety of the bridge’s users and prevents a weight limit being enforced in the future, allowing more motorists to access the vital route.

The completion of this upgrade also means that the bridge will not require major maintenance for 120 years.

George Bartlett, Network Rail’s project manager for the scheme, said: “I would like to thank residents for their patience and understanding as we carried out this extensive upgrade.

“Where possible we reduced any disruption for local people and we’re delighted to be able to finish the project on time. The work was essential to ensure the future of the bridge, which provides a vital route in and out of Truro.”

Andy Stevenson, Cornwall Council’s highways manager, said: “Anyone who uses this route knows that the closure of Saveock has caused significant traffic congestion on the surrounding road network. While these were essential works, we did our best to mitigate the worst effects on road users.