National Highways is to lift the A36 closure for three weeks to allow repairs to take place to Limpley Stoke railway bridge and the A350 road network.

The government's highways agency says closure will be "temporarily lifted" from Friday, October 18 to Friday, November 8.

A spokesperson said: "During this period the road will be reopened under traffic lights with one lane open past the works on the embankment stabilisation. 

"National Highways has been liaising regularly with Wilshire Council and the lifting of the closure was agreed as part of the original programme for the A36 work, to allow maintenance work to be undertaken on the A350 near Westbury."

Wiltshire Council ward member Johnny Kidney says the reopening will also allow Network Rail to make urgent repairs to the railway bridge at Limpley Stoke which is being repeatedly struck by passing HGVs using the B3108 as an alternative route to the A36.

The railway Bridge at Limpley Stoke seen from the Braford on Avon approach.The railway Bridge at Limpley Stoke seen from the Braford on Avon approach. (Image: Google Maps) Cllr Kidney said: “I remain deeply concerned about the ongoing issues in Limpley Stoke being caused by the A36 closure, particularly at peak times, and I am grateful to residents for continuing to report these issues to National Highways.

“I have been assured by National Highways that this hiatus was programmed into the works from the outset so will not result in a prolonging of the closure.

“During the hiatus, urgent works will be carried out on other parts of the network that would not have been possible with the A36 closed, and I have been assured by National Highways that this had been programmed in from the outset subject to confirmation of dates.”

Cllr Kidney says that National Highways is working with the three neighbouring highways authorities - Wiltshire, Bath & North East Somerset and Somerset - on potential additional mitigation measures for the closure.

He is expecting to receive further briefings on these when they have been agreed with the three local authorities.

The railway Bridge at Limpley Stoke seen from the Bath approach.The railway Bridge at Limpley Stoke seen from the Bath approach. (Image: Google Maps)

When the A36 is reopened, Network Rail is proposing to carry out further urgent works to the railway bridge at Limpley Stoke.

The B3108 will be closed at night-time between 9pm and 6am from Monday, October 21 until Friday, October 25, and for 36 hours from midday on Saturday, October 26 until midnight on Sunday, October 27.

Further night-time only closures proposed for Saturday, November 2 and Saturday, November 9, have yet to be confirmed.