Here’s news that will gladden the hearts of road users for miles around – Stamford Bridge has reopened.
The historic road bridge which gives its name to the town east of York closed on 20 May.
It has led to long delays ever since. The diversion took traffic onto the A1079 causing daily tailbacks in and out of the city.
The bridge was due to stay shut until 2 August. But it reopened in time for the evening rush hour today (Friday, 12 July).
The single-track bridge – which carries the busy A166 road between Driffield and York – had undergone eight weeks of work to strengthen the structure.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council invested £350,000 in repairing the Grade II listed Stamford 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.
The work included
- rebuilding parts of the structure with stone that matched the historic bridge
- new warning bollards were sited at either end
- new traffic lights featuring a “more energy-efficient traffic signal system”.
Councillor Paul West, the council’s cabinet member for environment and transport, said:
“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.”
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.”