A six-week project to repair and protect a former railway bridge in Hampshire is due to begin in September.

National Highways, through its Historical Railways Estate team, will make repairs to the railway bridge along the A272 near Petersfield to make it safe for years to come.

The road will be closed from Monday, September 1 until Sunday, October 14 to replace brickwork affected by weather, salt spreading and general degradation owing to the age of the structure.

The Historical Railways Estate team looks after a portfolio of more than 3,000 railway bridges, viaducts and tunnels across England, Scotland and Wales.

Alistair Dore, National Highways engineer for the region, said: “During the six-week closure of the A272, we will be able to carry out a large amount of work in a short period.

“While there are no safety concerns related to the capacity of the bridge, the work will address the worst areas of degradation throughout the arch.

“Safety is our number one priority both for the travelling public and the workforce undertaking the repair work.

“The repairs will keep the structure safe for years to come. The closure is in place to protect those working on the structure.

“We thank those in the area for their patience and would remind drivers to stick to the signed diversion route in the area.”

Drivers are reminded to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys. Signed diversions will be in place in the area for drivers. HGVs and larger vehicles are advised to avoid using smaller roads and use the official signed diversion route. This route is via the A272, A3, A325, A31 and A32.

Petersfield Road Bridge was constructed around 1903 as part of the newly established Meon Valley line. The cross-country railway ran for 22 miles between Alton and Fareham.

The line was authorised in Parliament in 1897 and opened in June 1903. The line had proved difficult to build due to the general ground conditions.

The geology of the area is chalk making concreting the line very challenging. The line ran through a sparsely populated area therefore was never busy with passengers. The bulk of the traffic came from shipping agricultural produce.

During the First World War, the Meon Valley Line was used for troop trains carrying soldiers who were bound for the docks ready to sail to France. It served the same use again in the Second World War, where the line had a spell of intensive use in the build-up to D-Day, transporting both men and equipment – including tanks.

Post-war, due to the rise of private car ownership and shift of goods from rail to road, services on the Meon Valley line were gradually reduced, with the line closing to passenger traffic in February 1955. A goods service was maintained until August 1968 when the line was permanently closed.

The Petersfield Road Bridge is a single-span masonry arch bridge. It crosses a two-lane single carriageway road.

The bridge has a square span of approximately 9m between abutments. The arch is formed of a five-ring red-brick arch atop abutments approximately 3m tall. The bridge Is approximately 50m long.

There is currently significant spalling within the arch, in particular to the abutment faces. There is also significant joint loss in some areas. The issues will continue to get worse due to traffic using the A272 below.

The works to be carried out will address the worst areas of degradation throughout the arch. In the meantime, there is no safety concern related to the capacity of the bridge.