WORK is progressing well on a new £422,000 road bridge in the Ribble Valley.

The bridge at the former Chatburn station has been under construction over the last seven weeks and is scheduled to open on December 13.

It will replace the old bridge over the railway line, which was over 130 years old and dilapidated.

During the building work, a 1,200 tonne crane, one of the largest of its kind in the country, was used to lift new concrete bridge beams into place.

David Hurford, principal engineer for bridges at Lancashire County Council, said: “The new bridge has been designed to last for the next 120 years and will also have stronger and higher parapets providing enhanced protection to the railway.

“There are still a number of activities to be completed in the next two weeks, including waterproofing the deck, installing drainage at the back and reinstatement of the road and footway surfacing.

“Once the bridge has been opened, the utility pipes and cables serving Chatburn will be put back and the temporary footbridge taken down.”

Motorists have followed a diversion while work has been carried out.

Pedestrians have been able to cross the railway using a temporary footbridge which the council installed earlier this year.