MOTORISTS are being reminded a section of Princes Street will be shut over the weekend as the footbridge over the main road is demolished.

Work is set to start on the final demolition project in that part of the town centre over recent months which has transformed the skyline.

Already the Carlton Street car park has been knocked down while the Wyvern car park has now been reduced to rubble.

This has been done to allow the move to put the bus station on Fleming Way to go forward and clear the ground for potential new Art Gallery near the Magistrates’ Court.

The footbridge, which crosses from the theatre to the council offices, is coming to the end of its usable life and it has been decided the cost of repairing it is too high.

The stairs leading to Wat Tyler House will also be taken down but the set on the Wyvern Theatre side will remain.

Therefore when the deal to demolish the two car parks was agreed, the footbridge was included as a way of reducing the cost.

As a result of the work, which will start on Saturday morning, Princes Street will be closed from Gordon Road up to Euclid Street.

From Monday to Wednesday, a single lane closure from the Beckhampton Street 20 junction to the bus stops on Princes Street will be in place, to enable the removal and clearance of the ramp/stair section of the bridge.

Thamesdown Transport have also sent out a warning to passengers that services will be disrupted in the area.

Peter Oliver, commercial director for Thamesdown, said: “We apologise for any inconvenience caused by circumstances beyond our control.

“Notices have already been posted in the affected bus stops warning passengers of these changes and we hope that the disruption is minimal in this exciting phase of the town centre’s regeneration.”

Full details of the changes can be found by visiting www.thamesdown-transport.co.uk.

Demolition work at Wyvern Street car park is expected to be completed by mid-April, which will see the end of eight months of work.

Councillor Garry Perkins (Con, Haydon Wick), the cabinet member for regeneration, said: “The Wyvern site is the intended site for the new art gallery and museum. We had to clear the car park by the bus station to allow the Kimmerfields project to go forward so it made sense to remove the Wyvern car park at the same time.

“It will link up the town centre properly and leave a site for a potential new Wyvern but that is a little way down the line.”