Installation begins on 960ft bridge for £160m Grantham Southern Relief Road

Work has begun on installing a 960ft (293m) bridge as part of the £160m Grantham Southern Relief Road scheme.

The structure, which will span the River Witham and the East Coast Main Line, is now being carefully pushed into position following a previous delay. An earlier attempt in February 2025 was postponed after a design fault raised concerns that strong winds could cause the bridge to shift out of alignment during installation.

The one-year delay is estimated to have cost £20m. However, Lincolnshire County Council has said it intends to recover the additional expense.

Councillor David East, executive member for highways, described the start of the installation as a “huge milestone” for the project.

“It means we’re now approximately two years away from fully opening the new road,” he said. “Ninety per cent of the relief road is already built, and this bridge is the missing link. Getting it into place over the rail line is a very complex operation that requires absolute precision, which is why detailed plans are essential.”

Weighing around 2,500 tonnes, the bridge is constructed from composite steel with a reinforced concrete deck.

Once complete, the 2.1-mile (3.5km) relief road will run around the south of Grantham, linking the A1 with the A52. The scheme is designed to ease congestion in the town centre and improve connectivity for local residents and businesses.