WORKS to replace a Newport bridge entered their final stages this morning as Network Rail moved a new structure into position on Bridge Street.

Around 30 onlookers gathered by the Bridge Street construction site — located at Newport Station Car Park — as works started at 1.30am to position the huge metal structure.

Using a huge crawler crane, Network Rail staff manoeuvred the 560 tonne bridge deck into position and work finished at around 4am.

The works are part of Network Rail's drive to electrify the South Wales mainline and the Bridge Street works are estimated to be finished by the end of this year.

As part of the improvement scheme, several other bridges are being demolished in the Newport area this weekend.

These include bridges on Maesglas Road and the Hawse Lane and Green Lane bridges, located in the Marshfield area.

Estimates for reconstruction work include Maesglas Road bridge being finished by 2017, Hawse Lane’s bridge by Spring, 2017 and Green Lane bridge by Spring 2018.

As a result, there will also be no trains running between Newport and Cardiff this weekend and the line will be closed until the early hours of Monday, September 19.

There is a bus replacement service from Newport for people wanting to travel to Bristol and the South West.

Rail services to Bristol and London will also continue to be affected by the closure of the Severn Tunnel.

While the work is ongoing, traffic lights will also be situated on Godfrey Road, with a three-way multi lights system in place and two traffic signal heads on Queensway.

Traffic will be reduced to one lane heading from Queensway towards the bridge and both signals will be changed to red in order to let the deliveries pull in and reverse when necessary.