Walkway to be replaced on ancient river bridge

The footpath on Otley Bridge needs to be replaced due to hidden defects

“Urgent” repairs to replace a walkway on a bridge that dates back to the 13th Century are to begin next year.

A temporary footbridge will be built while the path on Otley Bridge, which spans the River Wharfe and links the two halves of the town, is repaired.

Leeds City Council said the structure had "hidden" defects and holes that were currently covered by deck boards. The western side of the bridge was built in 1228 as part of a direct route to York, and the structure was rebuilt in the 18th Century. The pedestrian walkway was added in the 1950s.

The council's deputy leader Jonathan Pryor said he hoped the temporary bridge would limit disruption during the work.

He said: “Otley Bridge is an ancient crossing in the centre of the town. For pedestrian safety we now urgently need to demolish and replace the footway to modern standards, after coming to the end of its useful life.

“The new temporary footbridge will allow these works to be carried out safely, with less disruption to vehicle flow across the town, which will continue to enable people to cross the river safely.”

The temporary bridge is expected to be completed in spring 2025, with access to the new footbridge expected later that summer.

In July 2023, public reports of issues with the bridge forced the council to investigate and specialist contractors found defects on the underside of the footway.

The seven-span stone bridge carries the B6451 and is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The council warned that if it did not address the problems, the deterioration would continue, leading to a full closure of the walkway and a lengthy pedestrian diversion or disruption to traffic.

The project is anticipated to be completed during autumn 2025.

'Short-term disruption'

The temporary bridge will be a short distance to the east of Otley Bridge and link to Tittybottle Park.

On the southern side of the river, work to clear trees and vegetation in the park will be required to position a crane. On the north side a temporary abutment will be built and utility services will be diverted.

The council said they would expect this work to cause some short-term disruption.

Mr Pryor added: “Vital work like this always involves disruption and best efforts are being done to minimise any as much as possible. However, I know that it will still be inconvenient for people, and I would like to thank everyone for their understanding and patience while we do this urgent work."

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