Flood-damaged Summerseat bridge reopens after £1.6m repair

The Kay Street bridge nearly collapsed in Storm Eva in 2015

A bridge that was damaged by the 2015 Boxing Day floods has reopened at a cost of £1.6m.

The crossing nearly collapsed as a pub was swept away by the River Irwell in Summerseat, Greater Manchester.

Bury Council said the rebuild had been delayed by land acquisition, weather, Covid, poor ground conditions and the fish breeding season.

The authority's leader, Eamonn O'Brien, said: "Our engineers have coped admirably" despite the "long process".

The bridge was shut to vehicles after the 2015 floods but pedestrian access was temporarily reinstated the following Easter.

The council said a compulsory purchase order was needed to repair and widen the bridge, which was only "secured after a lengthy legal process".

Designs were changed when the underwater bedrock was found at a deeper level than expected.

Environment Agency rules also prevented work in the water taking place during the fish breeding season.

Engineering works eventually started in 2019 but repairs were suspended after a gas blast at a nearby house killed a resident this February.

Mr O'Brien said: "It's been a long process, but finally the residents of Summerseat will have a fully working second bridge to the village."

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