The West Sussex County Council have revealed that the bridge will take weeks to be prepared.

The A286 in Midhurst was temporarily closed over the bridge at River Rother after a motorist hit it on January 19.

Updating his constituents over Facebook, Tom Richardson, the County Councillor for Rother Valley, said the first stage of the work will involve recovering the stone that has fallen over the side of the bridge and erecting scaffolding.

Currently, thanks to the installation of temporary traffic lights, only one lane over the bridge is open and motorists have been urged to seek alternative routes where possible.

The council has revealed that the bridge in Midhurst is set to take weeks to be repaired.

placeholder image — The council has revealed that the bridge in Midhurst is set to take weeks to be repaired.

However, it is now looking like the temporary traffic lights that are in use to make traffic safe when using the bridge will be in place for months.

A West Sussex County Council spokesperson said: “We are working as quickly as we can to repair the damage to Midhurst Bridge and we are aware of the impact the temporary traffic lights are having on the local community.

"We have salvaged as much stone as we can, but unfortunately the lead time for the additional stone needed to repair the bridge is up to eight weeks and the repair works themselves will take up to four weeks."

Motorist Daniel Collins, 44, of Rumbolds Hill, Midhurst has been arrested and charged with driving a vehicle while over the alcohol limit following the bridge crash on Sunday, January 19. He has since been bailed, to appear at Worthing Magistrates Court on February 18.