MONTHS of work to refurbish an historic bridge is to start next week.

Work to restore Old Elvet Bridge in Durham, parts of which date back to the 12th Century, is expected to take until early next year to complete.

Durham County Council is to begin work on the Grade One Listed Scheduled Ancient Monument after the completion of improvements in North Road.

Work on the River Wear bridge will include waterproofing the bridge deck, realigning and replacing paving and the creation of loading bays on the approaches to the bridge.

A layer of specialised concrete will be placed underneath the paving to provide a waterproof membrane, to protect the bridge for future generations.

The council says phasing of the scheme has been carefully planned to enable major events such as the Lumiere Festival in November and the Miners’ Gala in July to proceed as planned

Pedestrians will be able to use the bridge at all times, but vehicle access will be occasionally suspended.

Discussions are underway with local businesses to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum.

John Reed, the council’s head of technical services, said: “Old Elvet Bridge is an important historic structure in Durham City and this work will ensure it is safeguarded for future generations.

“This scheme together with the recent works at North Road will aim to significantly improve the appearance of the area and make the bridge safer and more accessible.

“We appreciate there will be some disruption but we have planned the work to keep it to a minimum and we’d like to thank people in advance for their patience and understanding.”