TRAVELLERS along the A390 have been hit with major diversions again as Gunnislake’s Newbridge has been closed after a car collided with the ancient bridge on Tuesday, causing structural damage.

As the Times went to press on Wednesday morning, Devon County Council engineers were inspecting the damage to determine how long the closure would be in place for.

Loose coping stones from the damaged section were being removed and scaffolding put in place to enable repairs to begin as soon as possible.

Kevin Dentith, Devon County Council’s chief engineer for bridges and structures, said on Tuesday: ‘We’re aware just how critical this route is, which is why we’ve ensured teams are on site as quickly as possible to assess the extent of the damage. We’ll have a better idea tomorrow (Wednesday) how long repairs will take and how long the bridge will need to be closed.’

For the full story, pick up your copy of today’s Tavistock Times.