RESIDENTS should brace themselves for up to five weeks of traffic chaos as highways chiefs and contractors go head to head over the timetable for Marlow Bridge repairs.

Engineers from Buckinghamshire county council will meet with contractors Miletree Construction today to discuss whether to extend the period of works when the bridge will be closed to all vehicles.

Miletree Construction is hoping to increase the number of days during which vehicles will be diverted from the bridge as urgent repair work is carried out.

But highways engineering manager Bill Alan said county council consultants BABTIE will try to resist pressure to extend the agreed maximum period of 30 days to an estimated five weeks.

So far it has been agreed that the bridge will be closed to all traffic except pedestrians and unmounted cyclists for two or three weeks from July 22 when the schools break up for the summer holidays.

Milestone Construction also plans to shut off the bridge towards the end of October while they complete paint work, put down a new road surface, install cantilever supports, put in replacement rods and replace the timber footway.

Temporary traffic lights will be put up for most of the renovation period when it is not necessary to close off the entire bridge.

News that there is a firm date for the £500,000 project has delighted members of the Marlow Society who have campaigned for repair work to be carried out following a damning report last year.

The society said rotting timber, eroded brickwork, flaking paint and weeds growing though it were an embarrassment to the town and campaigned hard for county council funding to save the Grade 1 listed structure.

The bridge designed by William Tierney Clark, built between 1829 and 1832, was a prototype for a similar suspension bridge which linked Buda to Pest across the Danube in Hungary at the time.

County councillor for Marlow South, Maurice Oram said he regretted the disruption to the town centre but he was all in favour of the major overhaul designed to restore the historic monument to its former glory.

He added: "It is a very important structure. The work has got to be done in the interests of health and safety and it has got to be done properly. Hopefully with it all finished and returned to pristine condition and all painted it will last for several years without more work having to be done."

A new website will go online on Monday to detail the restoration work, describe the history of the bridge and provide weekly updates on the progress of the renovations.

For more information go to www.buckscc.gov.uk/travel