Bridge removal delayed as residents raise concerns

The bridge between Beverley and Weel was built in 1953

The renovation of a 1950s lift bridge has been put on hold.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council was due to remove Weel Bridge, which crosses the River Hull at Beverley, between November and March for "essential" repairs.

But at a public meeting on Thursday, residents of the hamlet of Weel, on the opposite bank to Beverley, said the closure would increase journey times and put the safety of pedestrians at risk due to the nature of the diversion route.

A spokesperson for the council said the work had been delayed until 2026 while questions raised at the meeting were considered.

Amanda Cross, who lives in Weel and is a parish councillor for Tickton and Routh, attended the meeting in Tickton with about 30 other residents and said she welcomed the delay.

She said a lengthy diversion route would be "really dangerous" for schoolchildren and other pedestrians, because they would have to share a single-track road with heavy traffic heading for a waste recycling centre, which motorists usually access via the bridge.

Miss Cross called for a temporary replacement bridge to be installed during the work.

Students who walk to Beverley High School over Weel Bridge would now have to walk along Weel Road, a narrow route along the east bank and cross the river at Hull Bridge, adding to traffic on the bridge and increasing journey time.

Although the road is already used by students of Tickton Primary School, the residents said the increase in traffic would make the route less safe.

The bridge leads to a waste recycling centre and the hamlet of Weel

Dan Ogden, 46, also from Weel, said he used the bridge "numerous times a day" and driving the longer route over Hull Bridge to get to Beverley would add about 30 minutes to his journey.

He said he recognised the work to the bridge needed to take place but asked the council to address issues about safety.

"The underlying thing is the safety of people going up and down that road [Weel Road], mainly pedestrians, mainly our children and cyclists, and trying to mitigate that as far as we can," Mr Ogden said.

"The risk is always going to be there. It's an unlit single-track, dark road."

The lifting bridge spans a navigable section of the River Hull and is raised mainly during the summer months to allow access for boats.

The council previously said the renovation, including structural repairs and an upgraded control system, would improve the safety and reliability of the bridge.

A new path for pedestrians and cyclists is also due to be constructed.

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