WORK is finally due to restart on the Longtown Esk Bridge after it was forced to close due to covid-19.

A spokesman for Connect Roads, an organisation that manages road infrastructure, has said work will restart on Monday after it stopped during the coronavirus pandemic - work is expected to take a further six weeks.

It reopened to cars and pedestrians early this year but work to complete it, and allow lorries, had been delayed due to the coronavirus restrictions.

The bridge on the A7 is one of the main cross border routes in the region but HGV had been diverted on to the M6.

It initially closed on January 22 after a heavy goods vehicle crashed and knocked part of the structure into the river.

County councillor Val Tarbitt had spoke about her “frustration” about enquiring about progress when she spoke at an Arthuret Parish Council meeting on Tuesday evening.

Councillor Tarbitt said: “I have been spending a lot of time working on the bridge and getting not very far, as you know it is still not finished and there has been a lot of dragging of coat tails, however we have a lot of people away on holiday at the moment and it’s very difficult to get hold of anyone.

“I keep being promised to have a fortnightly update but this has not happened all the way across the whole of the summer.

“They are at the electrics now and I have been speaking t the property owner about having her garden reinstated and I’m trying to find out from our highways who is actually responsible for doing that.

“Obviously the property owner did not cause it - so I’m waiting on getting an update on progress about the bridge - it is very frustrating.”

A spokesman for Connect Roads, on behalf of Cumbria County Council said: “Works were completed last week to undertake electricity cable diversions by Electricity North West.

“This was necessary before works to the retaining wall could commence.

“The work to rebuild the retaining wall commenced on Monday, and is expected to take six weeks to complete.

“The current traffic lights and restrictions will remain in place until the wall is rebuilt, after which the restrictions will be removed and normal two way traffic re-established.”

Work caused frustration for business owners and residents who believe it should never have taken so long to fix.

In July Rob Little said: “There’s no need to be shut to HGVs now, and it should have and could have been corrected in a fortnight with both sides done.”

Also at the time Luke Patterson said: “This affects bus routes, commuting and obtaining everyday essentials which is hard enough in the current covid climate.”