WORK on the Teign estuary viaduct is on schedule, Devon County Council says.

The £3 million scheme to carry out essential repairs to the 40-year-old bridge – which carries the A380 dual carriageway over the river – began in May, with the project due to be completed by the end of this year.

Repairs are being carried out to a failed expansion joint at the north end of the viaduct and waterproofing the 10,000 square metre bridge deck.

Engineers are also replacing the entire highway drainage system which, in the past, has caused ponding, as well as installing a new, high-quality road surface.

from Monday, work will move on to the outside southbound lane which will be closed for waterproofing and resurfacing.

Cllr Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council cabinet member for highways, said: ‘These repairs to the viaduct have had to be carried out in order to ensure traffic keeps moving on this vital stretch of road.

‘The traffic has been managed well throughout the scheme and no significant delays have been reported to date.

‘Thanks must go to the travelling public for their cooperation and compliance with speed restrictions, which have been imposed for their safety and the workforce.

‘As Devon has the biggest road network in the country, maintaining around 8,000 miles, it also means we have the largest number of bridges, more than 3,000, of any local authority in the country, which provides us with particular issues to contend with when their major components reach the end of their serviceable life.’

Cllr Gordon Hook, county councillor for Newton Abbot south, said: ‘I very much welcome the positive news that this critically important repair work is on schedule.

‘I am certain local residents will be equally delighted.

‘Newton Abbot has endured what seem to have been an endless number of road repairs in and around town but there appears to be light at the end of a very long tunnel.’

A 30mph speed restriction is in place along the viaduct to safeguard the workforce and to cater for the narrow lanes.

Only one lane at a time is being closed to carry out the work and two lanes southbound are being maintained throughout the works using a contraflow.