Cambridgeshire County Councillor Andy Osborn speaks at Wisbech Town Council meeting about plans to repair ‘badly damaged’ Parson Drove bridge

A newly elected councillor discussed his plans to repair a nearly 200-year-old bridge on the outskirts of Wisbech.

During Monday evening’s Wisbech town council meeting, Cambridgeshire County Councillor for Roman Bank and Peckover, Andy Osborn, attended to voice the work he is trying to do for Parson Drove’s “badly damaged” bridge.

During the meeting, he told Wisbech councillors that he had received concerns from residents regarding the state of the bridge.

Cllr Osborn said: “The bridge is nearly 200 years old and is a listed bridge, and it is badly damaged.

“In fact, it is so unsafe it is unbelievable. I have raised this with the highways department, who have gone out and looked at it and agreed, as a consequence, they are looking for funding and quotations to do the repairs.”

He said that because of how old the bridge is, it can not be repaired with cement and water.

“It's going to have to be reestablished as it was when it was built, so it could be some time before it happens, and it is a possibility the bridge may be closed whilst that work is going on”, he said.

Cllr Osborn is also campaigning to have traffic management at the bridge.

“In two directions there is a blind turning, as a consequence, I think it would be safer for the public to have traffic management there”, he said.

Cllr Steve Tirney applauded Cllr Osborn for his efforts in trying to get the bridge that affects nearby residents repaired.