Plans to protect the iconic Marlow Bridge will be unveiled at a public exhibition next month.

The exhibition, at Court Garden House, in Pound Lane, will form part of the Marlow Flood Fair taking place between 12pm and 8pm on September 18.

The historic 19th century bridge, which crosses the river between Marlow and Bisham, has long been misused by overweight vehicles driving or attempting to drive over it.

Earlier this year, plans emerged to build new “robust” bollards on the bridge in a bid to prevent a repeat of scenes from 2016 when a HGV driver ignored the three-tonne weight limit and drove his 37-tonne lorry over it.

It was closed for two months amid fears permanent damage had been caused to the structure.

Engineers tested the integrity of the bridge, which reopened in December, in time for Christmas.

And a year later, another lorry was left with burst tyres while trying to cross it.

Bucks County Council’s deputy cabinet member for transportation, Paul Irwin, said: “We would not want experience another lengthy and disruptive closure as we did in 2016.

“In order to safeguard the bridge from further potential damage, a number of options have been considered including short term and long term solutions.

“I do hope that anyone with an interest in the plans will go along to the exhibition to speak to the Transport for Buckinghamshire engineers and discuss the proposals.

“The exhibition will provide full information on all options available and the work that has taken place over the last 18 months.

“The upcoming measures will involve installation of more robust width limiting bollards aimed at preventing HGVs from attempting to cross the bridge.”

Last month, Bucks county councillor for Marlow Alex Collingwood said the larger bollards would be a trial to see if vehicles like Luton vans and 7.5 tonne lorries can be prevented from using the bridge as a shortcut to the A404 Marlow Bypass.

He said if the trial did not stop them, the results would then be taken back to the Department of Transport as evidence of more “draconian” methods needed to protect the bridge.

The bollards are expected to be installed during the October half-term and work will take place overnight, taking two weeks to complete.