Cotton’s Corner Bridge at Christchurch near Upwell re-opened tonight following an 18 week closure to install a new safety barrier.

Cambs Times: Cotton's Corner Bridge, Christchurc:: Photos from two years ago when it was damagedCotton's Corner Bridge, Christchurc:: Photos from two years ago when it was damaged (Image: Archant)

A county council spokesman said: “This will help prevent vehicles of all sizes leaving the road and entering the river below.

“To complete this, the bridge was widened and strengthened.”

Two years ago the council promised repairs after receiving numerous photographs of the damage caused by an accident to the bridge.

The bridge, on the B1098, was one of two safety schemes authorised by the council for the Fens this year – the other at Boots Bridge, Manea,

“Both of these schemes are in response to a high risk of serious injury collisions, based on the history of previous incidents at these locations and analysis of accident data,” said the spokesman.

“Every death and life-changing injury on Cambridgeshire’s roads is one too many and we have been working with our partners including the police on a number of measures to improve road safety.”

In 2012 a vehicle crashed into Cotton’s Corner Bridge and knocked a large hole through the parapet and the bridge was reduced to one lane for a time.

In that instance the council handed the bill for repairs to the driver’s insurers.