A £120,000 safety scheme to replace and upgrade the parapets of the A1 Hillsborough Road Bridge is set to begin.

These critical safety improvements which begin on Wednesday 19 June include the replacement and upgrade of both parapets on the Hillsborough Road Bridge, spanning the A1 over Culcavy Road. The project involves replacing the damaged parapet on the north-bound carriageway, ensuring that the bridge's safety measures adequately protect the large volume of daily road users on this vital route.

In order to facilitate the works a series of road, lane and hard shoulder closures have been scheduled in two phases. The first phase of work will be from 19 June 2024 until 5 July 2024, on the north-bound carriageway. The second phase will be from 22 July 2024 until 12 August 2024 on the south-bound carriageway.

Phase 1 of the works will commence with a full overnight closure of the north-bound carriageway of the A1, between Pantridge Link Junction and Hillsborough Roundabout, from 11pm on Wednesday 19 June until 6am on Thursday 20 June 2024. This is to allow a temporary barrier to be installed.

-- Advertisement --

Following this, lane 1 of the north-bound carriageway of the A1 will be closed in the vicinity of the works each night during the hours of 9pm and 6am from Thursday 20 June until Wednesday 3 July 2024 to allow the damaged parapet to be removed and a new parapet installed safely.

A full north-bound closure of the A1 carriageway, between Pantridge Link Junction and Hillsborough Roundabout, will then operate from 11pm on Thursday 4 July until 6am on Friday 5 July 2024 to allow the temporary barrier to be removed.

Phase 2 of the works will commence with a full overnight closure of the south-bound A1 carriageway, between Hillsborough Roundabout and Pantridge Link Junction, from 11 pm on Monday 22 July 2024 until 6am on Tuesday 23 July 2024 to allow a temporary barrier to be installed.

An overnight closure to lane 1 of the A1 south-bound carriageway will then be in place in the vicinity of the works between the hours of 9pm and 6am (Monday to Friday only) for the next three weeks to allow the existing parapet to be removed and a new parapet installed safely. Finally, the south-bound carriageway of the A1 will be closed from 11pm on Sunday 11 August until 6am on Monday 12 August 2024 to allow the temporary barrier to be removed.

During these bridge works, the hard shoulder on either the northbound or southbound carriageways will be closed near the works, a temporary 50 mph speed limit will be enforced, and a recovery vehicle will be stationed on the A1. Additionally, it will be necessary to intermittently close a lane of Culcavy Road under the bridge.

Works are expected to be completed by 12 August.