Network rail will begin strengthening and repair work on a bridge near Castle Cary railway station in Somerset this summer. 

One the work is complete, the bridge will not need any further major repairs for the next 50 years. 

Work is scheduled to start on the Ansford A overbridge on the A371 on July 8th. The programme will run through to the end of November 2013. 

A full road closure lasting 19 weeks until November 15th will be needed to undertake the improvements.

There will then be two weeks of follow-up repairs under temporary traffic lights. The bridge will be closed to all vehicles and pedestrian traffic.

"We are closing the bridge because we need to strengthen and repair the bridge as part of our responsibility to maintain and upgrade the nation’s railway infrastructure," commented Robin Basu, Network Rail community relations manager for the western region.

The organisation will write to 500 nearby households to communicate details of the road closure.