Meeting to discuss reopening Corporation Bridge

Corporation Road Bridge has been closed to the public since February 2023

Councillors will meet next week to discuss the reopening of a 100-year-old bridge which has been closed to motorists for two and half years.

Corporation Bridge in Grimsby shut for repairs to corroded steel parts and the lifting mechanism in February 2023, and its completion continues to face delays.

Newly-appointed contractor, Taziker has suggested either keeping the bridge closed until the work is finished or reopening it with one lane and temporary traffic lights.

North East Lincolnshire Council's Transport, Infrastructure and Strategic Housing Scrutiny Panel will meet on Wednesday to discuss the two options.

The rolling lift bridge, which spans the River Freshney, is a main route into Grimsby town centre, connecting Corporation Road and Victoria Street South.

At least £7.3m has been spent on the work, £2m more than the original budget

The bridge was originally due to reopen before Christmas 2023, but, by autumn of that year, it was discovered it needed more repairs.

It was set to reopen in summer this year, but faced another setback after the council fired its main contractor Spencer Group in May over "unacceptable delays" and cost increases.

The authority then appointed bridge restoration specialists Taziker, which has proposed two options for the bridge's future.

While the one lane temporary traffic lights system option would see the bridge open sooner, council documents state it would delay the refurbishment by four to seven months.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, if the bridge is closed until refurbishment is complete, repair work could restart as soon as 3 November.

The costs and reopening dates for each option will be shared at the meeting.

The scrutiny panel has no powers to decide which option the council agrees to. However, it can make recommendations on what it thinks should happen.

Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.

Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices