Severe weather and the coronavirus pandemic have delayed the installation of Irthlingborough Road bridge until December, according to a spokesman for Midland Mainline.
To reflect the impact that challenges during the first half of this year have had, work will continue for another six months, as part of a revised delivery plan.
In February and March, a period of long and sustained high winds had a major impact on the use of a crane to lift into place the new bridge units. Since March, work has also importantly had to be carried out in line with official guidance on the spread of Covid-19, and this continues to have an impact on productivity on site whilst social distancing is in place.
Jyoti Vara, Communications Manager for Midland Mainline, said: “I understand how important the work remains, especially for the local businesses who have been affected, and initially I want to restate our commitment to completing the project as soon as possible.
“We recognise that this revised date for the completion of the project is still around 6 months away. We are regularly reviewing the programme to look for opportunities where we can complete work more quickly and will continue to do so.”
Pedestrian and cyclist access to the area has been suspended to provide adequate social distancing for the staff working on site.
Retaining walls are being installed on to the approach of the new bridge and Cadent Gas is now on site returning their services back on to the structure.
