WELLINGTON Heath pensioners gathered in force at the Hollow Lane/B4214 junction near Staplow, to show their concerns about the likely impact of planned bridge repair work, and the temporary closure of the Ledbury to Bromyard road.

The closure to repair the iron Storesbrook Bridge, near Staplow, could run from November to March and will pose significant problems for commuters, bus services, lorry drivers and parents on school runs.

Many drivers will have little choice but to use narrow country lanes as diversions routes, including through Wellington Heath via the narrow Hollow Lane.

Wellington Heath resident, Peter Constantine, who organised the photo call at the junction last week, said of the planned road closure: "It looks like more chaos along the Bromyard Road with potential traffic rat running through extremely narrow lanes!"

He added: "There were a number of concerned parishioners who turned up, and a local tractor driver with a trailer.

"The road at the junction is passable by two vehicles if you use the verge, but not easy. The rest of the lane is definitely one vehicle only."

He added: "A tractor and trailer cannot back up easily if at all. The other issue is that this bridge repair is going to take place in the mid-winter with rain, snow and ice, and low temperatures. The grass verges will take a hammering and dangerous ruts are likely to appear.

"However, we obviously must put up with short term inconvenience whilst the bridge repairs are carried out."

But Mr Constantine says his real concern is that these Bromyard Road problems could be a foretaste of things to come, because a major new housing estate is set to be built off the Bromyard Road, to the north of Ledbury viaduct, and he fears that more traffic chaos could be the result, with only one planned access to the new estate, off the Bromyard Road.

Mr Constantine said: "This could be a foretaste of things to come."

Concerning the bridge repairs and the planned temporary closure of the Bromyard Road, county councillor Tony Johnson has already warned Wellington Heath Parish Council, in an email, that "there may be rat-running through Wellington Heath as a consequence – particularly up by Priors Court (Hollow Lane)."

Herefordshire Council contractor, Balfour Beatty, is still to announce official details of its planned diversions and signage schemes, to help limit the impact of the closure on local country lanes.