ECC - highways Gt Yeldham -A1017 Church Rd - Essential Bridge Strengthening and Repair

Essential strengthening and repair works will be carried out to Chain Bridge, located on the A1017 Church Road in Great Yeldham from 16 June 2025 with the support of temporary traffic lights for the duration of the scheme.

These works are vital to ensure the continued safety and long-term durability of this historic structure, which spans Stambourne Brook. Most of the construction work will take place underneath the bridge and will not be visible from the road. We do, however, ask drivers to follow all on-site traffic management measures for everyone’s safety, and to allow extra travelling time.

In collaboration with the Environment Agency and an ecologist, we will implement measures to protect the watercourse and local wildlife. Temporary working platforms will be installed within the brook to allow for precision cutting of grooves into the brickwork. These grooves will accommodate reinforcement bars, which will be secured using masonry adhesive, preserving the bridge’s historic character while improving its structural integrity.

As part of the project, we will remove accumulated debris from the watercourse to improve water flow through the arches and install bat boxes, where appropriate, to support local biodiversity.

Our work is expected to complete during autumn 2025, however the work programme may be subject to change in the event of adverse weather conditions.

As the project progresses, updates will be posted on a dedicated webpage for this project: https://www.essexhighways.org/chain-bridge-a1017-church-road-great-yeldham  however in the meantime letters are being sent to residents/businesses in the vicinity to make them aware of our plans.