A bridge that has been closed for eight weeks due to refurbishment has finally reopened.

Aldermaston Wharf Lifting Bridge in Reading, has been removed, refurbished and reinstalled to ensure it continues to function “reliably and effectively for many years to come”, West Berkshire Council said.

The bridge, which carries the A340 over the Kennet and Avon Canal, reopened on Saturday, March 16.

Its revamp started in January

.Councillor Denise Gaines, portfolio holder for highways, housing and sustainable travel, said the upgrades were “essential to ensure the bridge remains in a reliable working condition”.

The refurbishment required the removal of the entire moving bascule part of the bridge to a steel fabrication yard for structural repairs and repainting.

Constructed in the 1980s, many of the bridge's structural, mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic systems essential for the bridge's operation became worn and outdated, with spare parts increasingly harder to source, the council said.