Hull bridge could be closed for a year for repairs

The repairs to Drypool Bridge are expected to cost in excess of £7m, according to the council

A bridge in Hull city centre used by thousands of motorists every day will be closed for up to 12 months, the city council said.

Drypool Bridge was closed to traffic on Wednesday and officials have confirmed "significant" damage to "six or seven" concrete columns.

The BBC has been told the cost of the repairs will be upwards of £7m and investigations to assess the full damage are underway.

Hull City Council said the bridge, over the River Hull, is still safe for pedestrians and cyclists.

Garry Taylor, assistant director for major projects, culture and place at the council, said there was "no imminent danger" of the bridge collapsing.

"There is a central section of six or seven columns which are in a significant state of disrepair.

"What we won't be looking at is a complete closure. There will be times we can have limited traffic on the bridge," he said.

The bridge will remain closed to all traffic for the next two weeks before the repair work begins.

The council said it discovered significant damage to "six or seven" concrete columns during a routine inspection

The damage to Drypool Bridge, which opened in 1961, was discovered during the most recent six-monthly check carried out by engineers.

The authority said a previous inspection had showed "normal" deterioration.

Mr Taylor said: "I would have loved to have warned people in advance but as soon as the survey showed the issue we closed the bridge for the safety of everybody. I do appreciate there has been upheavals, I apologise for that.

"We couldn't do anything about this. We're a city of bridges and we have to cross a river. We're working as quickly as we can to address this specific issue."

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