The Laxey bridge keeps closing, closing, closing.

Built to replace the 200-year-old arched ’Old Laxey Bridge’ which was destroyed in the December 2015 flash floods, the new steel and concrete bridge opened to traffic in September last year.

But next week it will be closed again to allow what the Department of Infrastructure says are ’finishing touches’ to be carried out to the replacement bridge.The DoI said that while the initial surfacing of the bridge deck was safe and suitable for traffic, it did not meet the department’s required standards.

A spokesman said: ’The department has programmed the new surfacing works after taking on board the views of local residents and businesses.

’It was agreed that the improvements would take place in the autumn in order to minimise any disruption to the village during the summer season.’

Work is scheduled to start on Saturday October 28 and will be completed during the half-term holiday to reduce the impact on the village, school traffic and bus services.

The project involves planing out the existing bridge surface, preparing the ironwork and utilities, applying the new surface and painting the road markings.

Work is expected to be completed by Friday, November 3. The surfacing and lining elements of the job are weather dependent, so the department has applied for the road closure up to Sunday, November 5, to allow for any possible delays caused by poor conditions.

The replacement bridge has been designed to survive the sort of flooding that devastated homes and businesses in Laxey at the end of 2015.

Photographs of a double decker bus that fell into a river after the old bridge collapsed in heavy rain became the defining image of that weather event.

The replacement bridge features pepper-pot lighthouse sculptures that were unkindly dubbed Daleks by locals.