By 1826 the old bridge was in poor repair and the Trustees placed an advertisement announcing the wooden structure would be closed starting 10 May 1826 and a ferry provided whilst a new stone bridge was being built. The Act of Parliament renewing the Trustees' powers received Royal Assent on 2 April 1827 and described the old bridge as "ruinous" and "in part taken down" and the new one "nearly completed". The Act also contains one of the earliest mentions of the convention of driving on the left in the United Kingdom laying down a fine of 20-40 shillings (equivalent to £ to £ today) for "any person who shall not keep his carriage on the left hand side of the road".