The historic road bridge at Stamford Bridge has reopened two weeks ahead of schedule following an essential repair scheme.
The single-track bridge - which carries the busy A166 road between Driffield and York - reopened in time for the evening rush hour today (Friday 12 July) after eight weeks of work to strengthen the structure was completed.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council invested £350,000 in repairing the Grade II listed bridge and improving road safety, following years of damage caused by vehicles.
Built in 1727 – making it almost 300 years old – the 80m-long bridge over the River Derwent has been struck in several traffic accidents in recent years, causing severe damage to its stone parapets.
Thanks to a smooth and successful engineering project, the council’s contractor Esh Construction was able to complete the work ahead of its 10-week schedule.
Councillor Paul West, the council’s cabinet member for environment and transport, said:
“I’m extremely pleased Esh Construction has been able to complete this work and reopen the bridge much earlier than planned.
“We know the closure has caused a big inconvenience to many people, but we had no option, we simply couldn’t carry out these repairs without doing it.
“But I know people will be delighted to see it open again. Thank you for bearing with us.
“This has been a major investment for the village and our contractors have done a fantastic job in returning the bridge back to its former glory and making it structurally sound for the future.”
Due to the age and listed status of the bridge, the repairs carried out had to be sympathetic to the existing structure and its surroundings and required a specialist workforce and materials.
The work, which began on May 20, included:
- Rebuilding parts of the bridge that were damaged and missing. Rows of large stone bricks on the parapets on both sides of the bridge and in its recesses were replaced with local stone, sourced from Whitby,
- A large cantilever scaffold system was used to move the heavy stones into place,
- Stainless-steel staples were attached to the rebuilt parapets at each level to provide extra strength and flexibility,
- Extensive pointing,
- New warning bollards were sited at either end to prevent vehicles from hitting the bridge,
- Traffic lights at both ends have been replaced by the council with a new, more energy-efficient traffic signal system.
- Street lighting has also been replaced.
During the project, a temporary diversion was put in place for traffic travelling along the A166 route, diverting traffic on to the A1079.
The council took a number of actions to limit problems including:
- Installing major diversion signs, including six electronic message signs on the A1079.
- Installation and maintenance of temporary traffic lights and a number of road signs on local routes through the villages of Buttercrambe and High Catton.
- Working with bus companies to ensure regular public and school transport continued.
The repairs involved the workforce working longer hours in order to keep closure length to a minimum.
Steven Garrigan, divisional director at Esh Construction, said:
“We understood the importance of completing the essential repairs as quickly as possible from the outset, owing to the significant impact on the local community.
“Working collaboratively with our client, the site team and sub-contractors, we have been able to complete the works and reopen the bridge two weeks ahead of schedule.
“This marks the second project we have completed ahead of programme through collaboration with East Riding of Yorkshire Council, having completed the emergency repair and strengthening of Bubwith bridge last year.”
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