Drivers are being advised to plan journeys in Cornwall ahead of an A30 weekend closure for major works.

The A30 will be fully closed on the weekend of February 3 to to enable a new bridge to be installed as part of National Highways’ A30 Chiverton to Carland Cross upgrade.

The Tolgroggan access bridge has spanned the A30 near Zelah for 32 years and needs to be replaced to accommodate the realigned A30 dual carriageway between the Chiverton and Carland roundabouts.

Preparatory work for the bridge replacement has been ongoing since the start of construction in 2021, and the new bridge replacement, overseen by principal contractors Costain and structures specialists Keltbray, will continue to provide access for landowners either side of the A30.

Bridge beams being lifted into place last year for the new Tolgroggan bridge
Bridge beams being lifted into place last year for the new Tolgroggan bridge (National Highways)

To enable the installation of the new bridge, the A30 will be closed from 8pm on Friday, 3 February, and reopened to traffic by 6am on Monday, 6 February.

The bridge operation is weather dependent and in the event of adverse weather on the programmed weekend, contingency weekends are in place for February 10-13 and 17-20.

The complex operation will see the new 137ft (42-metre) structure being lifted into place before the dismantling of the old accommodation bridge later in the year.

A 600-tonne crawler crane will be employed to lift the newly constructed steel twin-beam overbridge onto recently constructed foundations east of the old structure.

The new bridge weights 275 tonnes, the equivalent weight of 23 double decker buses or 887,097 standard Cornish pasties.

And once the new bridge has been lifted into position, work will concentrate on construction of the new road, with the existing bridge to be demolished later this year.

Clearly signed diversions will be in place via the Boxheater Junction and Chiverton Cross roundabout, with eastbound traffic diverted via the A3075 to Goonhavern and the B3285 to rejoin the A30.

The westbound diversion will operate in reverse, with the B3284 remaining open under temporary traffic signals north and south across the Chybucca roundabout.

Ahead of the weekend closure, National Highways is advising drivers to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys while the bridge installation is carried out.

During the weekend closure, drivers can obtain up-to-the-minute travel information on local radio, the @HighwaysSWEST Twitter feed, by phoning the National Highways Information Line on 0300 123 5000 or by accessing the website: www.trafficengland.com

The cost of developing the scheme is being partly funded by an £8 million contribution from the European Regional Development Fund, with an additional £12 million for the construction phase. The remainder of the cost of developing and delivering the scheme is being funded by central Government.

The multi-million pound upgrade is scheduled to be open to traffic this winter.