Councillors Issue Joint Update on Brewood and Penkridge Canal Bridge Closures

County Councillor Craig Humphreyson (Penkridge) has released a detailed update, written on behalf of himself and County Councillor Chris Large (Brewood), on the ongoing closures and repair efforts at two significant canal bridges affecting local highways in Penkridge and Brewood. The information comes directly from the Canal & River Trust (CRT), Severn Trent Water (STW), and Staffordshire County Council (SCC) following a multi‑agency meeting held on Friday 30 January.

Brewood Bridge: Assessments Underway, Major Repairs Expected

A triage meeting between SCC, STW and CRT confirmed that Brewood Bridge will require specialist engineering due to its age and structural condition. CRT has initiated its insurance recovery process, believed to be the quickest route to funding repair work.

Specialist engineers will conduct a full design and investigative phase over the next four weeks, after which repair work will begin. CRT has indicated that no firm timeline can be provided until these assessments are complete. Early indications estimate a minimum of eight weeks before clearer timescales can be given, with a worst‑case scenario of up to seven months based on similar historic structures.

CRT will release phased communications to the press, with SCC committing to updates every two weeks.

Severn Trent Water has completed temporary repairs to the affected utilities and plans to remove most of their site equipment by early March to improve access for nearby businesses. Full repairs to STW infrastructure are expected to take at least four weeks once specialist engineering reports are received.

Staffordshire County Council has increased gully and drain maintenance on diversion routes and will prioritise pothole repairs to keep roads safe. Due to the anticipated timescales, SCC is preparing proposals for a future weight limit and potential road narrowing at Brewood Bridge to prevent large vehicles meeting on the bridge. The council is also working to place Google routing restrictions to prevent HGVs being diverted through Brewood during motorway congestion. A public consultation will follow as the bridge work nears completion.

Penkridge Bridge: Severe Culvert Failure Leads to Indefinite Closure

The culvert collapse at Penkridge is described by CRT as “one of the worst failures” the Trust has encountered. At present, no reopening date can be offered for either the road or the navigation.

Engineers have carried out extensive stabilisation work, including 3D scanning of the voids, filling major cavities with foam concrete to protect nearby properties, and installing reinforced plinths to preserve a kitchen extension that was at risk of collapse. Further voids under the bridge remain due to their height relative to the lock walls.

Excavations have been made at two points in the road to mass‑fill unsafe sections with concrete. Upstream culvert inspections have begun, with downstream access currently being prepared through a fabric dam and pumping system. Progress has been slowed by compacted silt and difficulty identifying the full reach of the foam concrete infill.

Additional 3D scans are planned next week to help determine the original culvert alignment. Due to the inability to view both ends of the failed section, CRT engineers are working “blind” and may need to use either water jetting or moling to progress. Moling is currently favoured due to better control and reduced risk of damaging stabilisation work.

CRT warns of significant risks, including possible further collapses or blockages that cannot be cleared. Should moling succeed, a structural liner will need to be designed and ordered, potentially with several weeks’ lead time.

Given the complexity, CRT states it is impossible to estimate when the road or canal may reopen.

Councillors Humphreyson and Large confirmed they will continue to update residents as new information becomes available.

See Cllr Humphreyson's original post below: