Community celebrations marked the reopening of Linton Bridge near Wetherby on Saturday. The Grade II listed bridge, which crosses the River Wharfe in West Yorkshire, was rebuilt after floodwater damaged foundations during Storm Eva in December 2015.

 

Work to rebuild the bridge cost around £5M and was carried out by contractors BMM jv and A E Yates, with funding coming from the Department for Transport. 

 

During the floods the bridge's south pier sank by 200mm in one night, which deformed the deck and parapets. Repair and strengthening work involved creating a ‘bridge within a bridge’ that features new reinforced concrete slabs.

 

Leeds City Council's executive member for regeneration, transport and planning Richard Lewis said: “Linton Bridge has been a massive technical challenge in terms of restoration and repair. It was highly unstable and could have collapsed completely, with the loss of its heritage value. 

“We aimed to get the bridge open again before the schools go back and it is great for all concerned we have been able to do that.”

 

Repair was carried out in three stages. First, the southern pier was stabilised using special concrete designed to set underwater, to fill voids around the foundations that the floodwater left. Rock armour was placed at the base of the piers to protect them from further damage.

 

A platform was created in the river to support a temporary steel structure and allow the permanent repairs to follow. The bridge was then reinforced with piles from road level into the bedrock beneath the bridge’s foundations, together with concrete slabs.

 

(Photos: Leeds City Council)