A councillor is hopeful that a road will not be used as a rat run when it reopens this summer.

Wilbury Villas in Hove was closed 18 months ago due to safety fears about a railway bridge.

The bridge is due to reopen in the middle of June following £100,000 of improvements by Network Rail.

Brighton and Hove City Council will now carry out width restriction work likely to cost about £40,000 to prevent heavy goods vehicles from travelling over the bridge.

Local Green councillor Ruth Buckley said she hoped that residents would see fewer vehicles use the route than they did prior to its closure.

She said: “I think it will be very difficult for people who have moved into the area in the last 18 months who have never known the bridge to be open and will not have been used to the volume of traffic that uses it as a rat run.

“Hopefully with the restrictions in place, lorries and vans won't be able to use the bridge and the improvements to the lights at the junction with The Drive which has already improved congestion will mean the road will be quieter when it reopens.”

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokesman said a re-opening in June will be dependent on any objections raised for the new traffic regulation order.

He added: “We're currently working on the design of the traffic measures required by Network Rail to restrict access across the bridge by certain vehicles.

“The plan is currently to install a central island to reduce the road width as well as cycle lanes. “