The bridge at Ringland, over the river Wensum to the west of Norwich, has had a temporary weight restriction in place since 2025 to ban vehicles weighing more than three tonnes from using it.

The maximum weight of vehicles was cut from seven-and-a-half tonnes to three tonnes after an inspection of the bridge showed already identified "significant deterioration" could get worse without the reduction.

The change of the weight limit was designed to stop heavy vehicles, including large vans, threatening the condition of the bridge, which is on Ringland Road, between Taverham and Ringland.

The bridge at Ringland (Image: Denise Bradley)

However, Norfolk County Council surveys carried out over three days in September last year found that, of about 4,000 vehicles passing over the bridge, an average of 33 vehicles a day were over the three tonne limit.

In response, with the temporary order due to expire in August, the council is about to make the temporary restriction permanent.

Doing so would enable Norfolk Constabulary to enforce the limit and the council has said the police are prepared to do so.

The Ringland village sign (Image: George Thompson)

Officials at Conservative-controlled County Hall, said: "Road traffic surveys have identified that numerous heavy vehicles continue to ignore the three tonne restriction and the police are prepared to prosecute them, provided they have means.

"The permanent legal traffic regulation order will enable this element of the restriction to be carried and enforced."

The council said it would be "many years" before the bridge could be strengthened or replaced - and doing so could cost close to £1m.

They said the permanent restriction, with enforcement, was the best approach in the meantime.

A spokesman said: "The Ringland bridge is 100 years old, and due to concerns over its age and condition we reduced the weight restriction to three tonnes as an emergency measure in February 2025, so that we could fully assess it.

"Following a detailed inspection it was identified that works in excess of £900,000 would be needed to bring capacity back to seven-and-a-half tonnes.

"However these works would only extend the life of the structure by 20 to 25 years and so did not provide a good, value for money solution for our residents.

"Instead we are seeking to make the weight restriction permanent to allow us time to explore options for a permanent replacement."

The need to protect the bridge was brought to the fore after plans for the Norwich Western Link Road - which the scheme's supporters said would stop rat-running drivers from using smaller roads through Ringland and Weston Longville - were withdrawn.

Previous plans for the Norwich Western Link were withdrawn (Image: Norfolk County Council)

The county council pulled its plans for the 3.9-mile road, which would have linked the A47 to the A1067, after Natural England opposed it on environmental grounds, including because of the presence of barbastelle bats.

Conservatives at County Hall insist they still want to develop an alternative to that road, which has been the council's flagship project for years. The council has already spent £55m on the scheme.

The government subsequently said it would give £960,000 towards the council's £1.43m options assessment work to come up with an alternative, which could see a new road, on a different route.

But an internal Whitehall review means that money has yet to be received and the work to come up with alternatives is on hold.

Critics have said the council should have had a Plan B in place to help relieve rat-running in the first place, but the authority has said the project process meant they could only pursue one option, rather than having an alternative plan.

Weston Longville (Image: Denise Bradley)

In the meantime, reduced speed limits have been introduced in Weston Longville, Morton on the Hill and Honingham, with Felthorpe and Barnham Broom to follow later this year.

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