Renovation to start on Beverley's Victorian rail footbridge

The wooden canopy covering the 19th Century footbridge is to be removed

Work is due to get under way later to repair and restore a 130-year-old East Yorkshire railway footbridge.

The Grade II-listed structure at Beverley Station has been closed since September due to safety concerns.

As part of the work, a wooden canopy is to be removed, despite objections from Beverley Civic Society and members of the public who wanted it restored.

Network Rail said there was a "risk of pieces of the weakened canopy falling onto the tracks below".

Engineers are also expected to strengthen the original cast iron structure and install new parapets, along with new surfacing and stair treads and they will repaint the bridge.

Repairs will also be carried out to the Victorian station's glass-roofed train shed and platforms, with all the work expected to be finished by November.

The original cast iron will be strengthened and new stair treads will be installed

Matt Rice, from Network Rail, said: "I'm pleased that work is getting under way to fully restore this historic footbridge at Beverley station.

"It is an important piece of history that dates back to the 1880s, so it's vital we refurbish it sympathetically while ensuring it remains safe for passengers.

"I'd like to thank passengers for their patience while we push ahead with this project and I look forward to the bridge opening later in the year."

During the work, passengers will be able to get between the station's two platforms by using a nearby level crossing on Armstrong Way.

The footbridge was among the first batch of "Type Ones" installed over North Eastern Railway lines in the late 19th Century and is one of just three left on the Hull to Scarborough route.