Major A38 bridge works set to begin in September

Anyone heading between Burton and Derby on the A38 will need to keep an eye on the roadworks calendar from September, with a major improvement scheme near Willington and Egginton set to get under way.

Work is due to begin on Monday 21 September 2026 and is expected to continue until summer 2028, involving major works to the bridge over the A38.

The good news is that highways bosses plan to keep the A38 open as much as possible throughout the project. The slightly less exciting news is that narrow lanes, a 40mph limit and a number of overnight closures will become familiar companions for Burton motorists.

For anyone travelling north from Burton towards Derby, or heading home southbound, it is worth knowing what's coming.

Two narrow lanes from September

From 21 September 2026 until 26 August 2027, the A38 is scheduled to remain open 24 hours a day, with two narrow lanes running in each direction.

A 40mph speed limit will be in force between the A5121 at Claymills and Toyota Interchange.

The next phase begins on 27 August 2027 and is expected to run until 6 June 2028. During this period the A38 will again remain open 24/7, but traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction, with the 40mph restriction continuing between Claymills and Toyota Interchange.

So, while the road should remain usable during the daytime, allowing a little extra time for journeys towards Derby probably won't be a bad habit to acquire.

Overnight closures

There will also be a series of overnight closures while crews install traffic management, prop the bridge and carry out excavation work.

The closures are scheduled between 8pm and 6am on selected weeknights, with the affected section running between Toyota Interchange and the A5121 at Claymills.

The dates currently listed are:

• 21–22 September 2026: northbound closed
• 22–25 September 2026: southbound closed
• 28 September–2 October 2026: northbound closed
• 21–27 October 2026: northbound closed
• 16–17 November 2026: northbound closed
• 14–18 December 2026: southbound closed
• 4–8 January 2027: southbound closed
• 21 January–3 February 2027: northbound closed

These dates will be particularly important for shift workers, airport runs and anyone returning to Burton from Derby later in the evening.

A long job – but the A38 stays moving

With the overall scheme stretching into 2028, this isn't going to be one of those roadworks where the cones mysteriously appear on Monday and have vanished by Friday.

However, keeping the A38 open for most of the project should help limit the impact on one of Burton's most important routes north.

If you're a regular A38 traveller, the key date for the diary is 21 September. From then onwards, expect reduced speeds and narrower lanes – and check before setting off on an evening journey, when the scheduled closures are most likely to affect Burton motorists.

And, as ever with a project lasting nearly two years, closure dates and traffic arrangements may change as the work progresses, so it's worth checking the latest travel information before setting off.

What about traffic crossing the bridge?

The works won't just affect drivers travelling along the A38. There are also important restrictions for anyone who normally crosses over the A38 using the A5132 Carriers Road bridge, travelling between Willington and the Etwall/Hilton area.

From 21 September to 9 October 2026, two-way temporary traffic lights will be in operation on the bridge, so drivers should allow a little extra time for their journey.

The bigger change comes later in the autumn. From 9 November 2026 until 3 June 2027, the Carriers Road bridge will be completely closed to vehicles while the work takes place.

That means motorists who normally use this route to travel between Willington and Etwall or Hilton will need to use an alternative route for almost seven months.

There is better news if you're making the journey without a car.

Pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders will still be able to cross the bridge throughout the full vehicle closure.

So, whether you're travelling underneath it on the A38 or normally driving over the top, this is one bridge that's going to become rather familiar to local travel updates over the next couple of years.