Summary
- Where: Itchen Bridge.
- What: Essential maintenance works comprising the most significant programme of maintenance works to the Itchen Bridge crossing since it first opened.
- Why: To ensure it remains in good working order and to extend its lifespan.
Latest News
December 2025
Following our mid-November update, we’d like to share a further update to confirm the progress so far and the next steps in the Itchen Bridge Maintenance Project.
Northern footway works
The works to the northern footway were completed on Thursday 18 December, with the final overnight closure taking place on Wednesday 17 December. These works have involved:
- Removal of the old footway
- Protection of services and utilities running over the bridge
- Waterproofing of the bridge deck
- Installation of new drainage kerbs
- Installation of new footway surfacing
Winter pause
Following the completion of the northern footway works, during January and February, the bridge will be open and will remain subject to a 20mph speed limit because there will be no road markings during this period.
Southern footway and structural works
The next phase of works is scheduled to begin in March 2026 and will include:
- Waterproofing and reconstruction of the southern footway
- Abutment works
- Completion of drainage works
- Installation of new bridge joints
- New carriageway surfacing and lining
Important information
- The footway remains the same width as before at 2 metres.
- The drainage will not be fully functional until all works are completed next year.
November 2025
The first phase of the Itchen Bridge Maintenance Project, replacement of the drainage system along the northern footway, will shortly be completed.
These works will have seen the replacement of around 800m of kerb stones and installation of drainage kerbs, removal and re-laying of over 2,000 square metres of footway and the application of a waterproof coating to provide a more efficient and long-lasting drainage system overall.
Unfortunately, these works are completing later than originally planned due to the discovery of an uncharted, live fibre optic cable. This meant that we had to redesign an element of the footway and source different materials at short notice to work around this cable.
Our revised programme will see works continue on the drainage system, where the bridge ends and the land on either side begins, until Thursday 18 December as a revised phase two. While these works are ongoing the road will be fully open during the day, but the northern footway will remain closed.
After this second phase is complete, the third phase will be to start the drainage works on the southern footway, however because of the delay caused by the uncharted cable and the need for consistent temperatures of over 5 degrees during these works, we are now looking to pause all works during January and February. During this pause, the road and both footways will be fully open, although the 20-mph limit will remain as there will be no road markings and no works will take place until March.
In March, we aim to start with phase three, the southern footway works, which will have a similar traffic management programme to the northern footway works. As this phase is weather dependent, it is subject to change, and we will continue to provide updates over the coming months. The change to the current programme does not alter our plan for delivering new safety fencing in 2026.
July 2025
We will be starting works on the Itchen Bridge Maintenance Project on Monday 11 August 2025.
The works will take around 6 months to complete and will enhance the lifespan of the bridge for many years to come by upgrading the drainage system, repairing the joints and restoring the waterproofing, followed by resurfacing of the highway and footpath surfaces and application of new road markings.
To maintain a safe environment for road users and site staff, there will be a temporary speed limit of 20mph while the works are ongoing. To minimise disruption, the bridge will be fully open at peak times, with temporary traffic signals from 9.30am to 3pm to enable working on one side of the bridge and overnight closure to vehicles from 8pm to 6am.
If you would like to receive a dedicated newsletter on the bridge works, you can sign up here.
For further information, please see the works notification flyer or read our FAQ page here.
April 2025
We have recently applied for the permits to deliver the Itchen Bridge Maintenance Project in Summer 2025. The permits are a matter of public record, but at this stage, the dates, times and traffic management measures are indicative, and will be confirmed in more detail in the coming months.
The publication of this information gives other organisations that sometimes need to dig up the road, such as utilities companies, the opportunity to work together with us to deliver planned works in the same area at the same time and reduce the potential for disruption later in the year or, if possible, avoid works elsewhere happening at the same time which might increase disruption.
The delivery window that will be published as part of the permit application will show from July through to November 2025, which takes into consideration the change in approach to traffic management to a programme of night and day working over a longer period. In addition, in this time frame we will also have to account for the Southampton International Boat Show taking place in September.
These details are subject to change as new information becomes available or circumstances evolve, and we will continue to publish updates as further details are confirmed.