Bridge work completion delayed until next summer

The £5m restoration had been expected to last about a year

Work to repair a landmark bridge in Grimsby is not expected to be completed until next summer, according to the local council.

The Grade II-listed Corporation Road Bridge has been closed to vehicles since February 2023.

The bridge, which opened in 1925, spans the River Freshney and is a main route into Grimsby town centre.

The £5m restoration had been expected to last about a year, but was put back after the structure was found to be in a worse-than-expected state.

'Kick up the bum'

According to a survey report, significant repairs and restoration work have already been carried out, including shot-blasting the structure to remove decades of paint, rust and grime.

However, officials said the work had uncovered "significant areas of rusting and corrosion".

Inspections of steelwork, not previously visible, identified "significant areas of rusting and corrosion", the council said

Councillor Stewart Swinburn, portfolio holder for housing, infrastructure and transport at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “There’s no denying that this has been a complex project with numerous challenges.

"We’ve had to navigate some significant issues to try to get this bridge back to how it would have looked almost 100 years ago.

“We’re also clear that we’re not there yet. There is still work to be done and I know that this is not ideal."

Mr Swinburn said he understood people's frustrations, adding: “I want to reassure them that we are working as quickly as possible to get this project over the line.”

Local people said the repairs were taking too long

Reacting to the news, Tina Smith told BBC Radio Humberside it was “a bit awkward” as the bridge was used by a lot of traffic.

She said people also faced a long walk round at times when the bridge was closed off to pedestrians.

Meanwhile, Sarah Carr described it as “absolute madness”.

“It’s a shame it’s taken them so long,” she said.

She said there was also a lack of signage to inform people when the footpath was closed.

“You walk all the way down the path, only to have to go back and walk all the way round,” she added.

“I think someone needs a kick up the bum."

'Gone on far too long'

Michael Stylianou, who runs a self-drive hire business nearby, said the closure had led to some "logistical" issues, including sending vehicles for repair.

However, he said the closure had impacted more on small businesses who relied on passing trade.

"It’s a bit of a detour and it takes people on a different route," he said.

"It’s gone on far too long."

The authority said lessons had been learned for future schemes, but said many of the challenges could not have been foreseen.

However, it said the project could have benefited from clearer communication at the start about how the duration of the works could extend if additional defects were identified.

Due to the extensive additional work required to replace parts of the steel structure, costs had also increased, it added.

The authority said it was unable to say by how much as the information was "commercially sensitive at this stage".

The authority is expected to publish a further update in the autumn.

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