Bidford-on-Avon River Bridge, B4085 Honeybourne Road, Bidford, South Warwickshire
Proposed works
Warwickshire County Council (WCC) will soon begin essential restoration and maintenance work to the historic Bidford-on-Avon River Bridge as part of the country’s wider Historic Bridge Maintenance Programme (HBMP). This jointly funded venture by WCC and the Department for Transport’s Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund aimes to preserve some of the most significant heritage bridges in the regoin.
Bidford–on-Avon River Bridge, a Grade I listed structure and Scheduled Ancient Monument, is one of eight key heritage assets selected for specialist conservation works including:
- Refacing and replacement of weathered spandrel and arch stones
- Repointing of open mortar joints
- Reinforcement of cutwaters
The repairs will ensure the structure remains safe, resilient and preserved for future generations while continuing to support Warwickshire’s transport network.
Programme of works
The restoration project is scheduled to begin next week commencing Monday 16th Febraury 2026 – subject to River Avon levels, and is expected to run for approximately six months. An initial two week off-peak (09.30 – 15.30) road closure to vehicles is planned for the installation of the access scaffolding to external elevations. Pedestrian crossings will be maintained at all times, with cyclists instructed to dismount on crossings. Factors such as flooding, additional stone replacement and weather conditions may impact progress and delay the intended completion date of late August 2026. The renocation scheme will maintain vehicle crossings after the initial site setup.
Why the works are needed
Bidford-on-Avon River Bridge is a historically significant crossing of the River Avon whose stone arches and cutwaters have endured natural weathering, increased traffoc volume and significant cycles of flooding. These conditions have led to the erosion of stone, damage to cutwaters on the upstream elevation and mortar loss leading to a general deterioration. The planned scheme prioritises the most critical areas of the structure based on condition surveys.
For any questions/queries, please email one of our engineers at bidfordbridge@warwickshire.gov.uk