The UK’s telephone network is changing. By the end of 2025, most telephone providers will have moved their customers from landlines served by the old analogue (copper) network to new upgraded landline services which use digital technology. This is commonly referred to as The Digital Switchover.

BT Consumer Group – the largest provider of landline phone services in the UK will start migrating their customers in the West Midlands region from February 2024 and to coincide with this, they are hosting a number of roadshows / drop-in events in the Warwickshire and Solihull area over the next month. This will enable their customers to find out more about the switchover to their digital phone network known as Digital Voice.

The CSW Broadband Project Team will be providing more information on the Digital Switchover in their upcoming newsletters which can be viewed at  https://www.welfordonavon.com/information/superfast-broadband/

For details of our local roadshow please see Digital Voice roadshow invite Stratford – Upon – Avon

• Traffic Light Controlled Works – High Street, nr the Bell – 31st Jan – 1st Feb
• Traffic Light Controlled Works – Shipston Road nr Shell Garage – 25th-26th Jan
• Traffic Light Controlled Works – Evesham Road, Stratford – 30th Jan – 1st Feb
• Road Closure – Luddington Road nr Racecourse – 22nd Jan – 12th Mar
• Road Closure – Long Marston to Mickleton – 5th-7th Feb

For further updates please see https://www.welfordonavon.com/information/roadworks/

The bridge is closed again from this morning – see schedule for future opening/closing dates.

Due to the recent flooding the planned closure of the bridge on 8th January has been postponed until floodwater has receded, significant flotsam has been cleared and the bridge checked for any further flood damage. The earliest bridge closure is not likely before the end of this week.

Debbie Jones (Parish Council) kindly sent me a link to River Avon monitoring site – River Watch – Avon Navigation Trust. The webcams do not play for me but the Stratford installation also includes EA predicted river level rises for Stratford. In summary –

At 3.00pm 2nd January the level was 1.73m (normal range is 0.5m – 0.93m)

The highest level is forecast to be 2.4m at 3.30pm on 3rd January

The highest level recorded at this station was 2.71m on 10th April 1998

Please see the latest schedule of works. The bridge is due to close again for repairs on Monday 8th January although it is possible the planned schedule may be affected by the current flooding.