A date for the reopening of a major route is not yet known three weeks after a car crashed into a historic bridge.

On June 20, a motorist crashed into the historic Halfpenny Bridge between Highworth and Lechlade, which prompted Gloucestershire County Council to shut the route to motorists for safety reasons. 

In an update provided three weeks later, a spokesperson for the council has confirmed that the road will not be reopening in time for the Royal International Air Tattoo, and they did not yet know when, in fact, it would reopen. 

Councillor Dom Morris, cabinet member responsible for highways at Gloucestershire County Council and local member for Fairford and Lechlade-on-Thames, said: “We have had to close Halfpenny Bridge while these works are carried out to keep everyone safe.

“We will work closely with partner agencies throughout the repair process and will carry out the work as quickly as possible.

“The complexities of the repair mean that we are currently unable to advise people when the road is likely to open, but we will provide regular updates as work progresses.

“The bridge will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists to allow access to the nearby businesses. The three other routes into Lechlade remain open at this time.

“We understand how important this route is for the area, we apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of this closure and thank residents and businesses for their patience.”

It says one of the main issues it is facing is that the bridge is a scheduled ancient monument. Because of this, all work has to be ratified by Heritage England and Historic England and have the consent of the Secretary of State, meaning repairs will take longer.

The council also says the bridge isn't wide enough to accommodate the temporary barrier to the damaged section and a lane of traffic, and added that vibrations from allowing traffic could further damage the wall. 

Gloucestershire Constabulary are investigating the circumstances that led to the motorist crashing into the wall of the bridge and a man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of drink driving and released on bail.  

In an update provided to the Swindon Advertiser, a spokesperson for the force said: "There’s no update on the incident – I believe we are still awaiting the blood test results, which usually take a few weeks."