The government has announced £3.3 million of funding for the restoration of the Tadcaster bridge in Yorkshire.
Flooding saw the partial collapse of the structure and this new funding will enable North Yorkshire County Council to make urgent repairs to the 300-year-old listed bridge with structural assessments already underway.
£300,000 will also be spent on the construction of a temporary footbridge to serve the community while work is ongoing.
Working with the local landowner, the plan is for a pre-assembled temporary footbridge to provide residents with easy access to both sides of the river whilst construction is underway on the main bridge. This will supplement the existing foot access across the old railway viaduct which is undergoing urgent improvements to better cope with the increased footfall.
Minister of State at the Department for Transport Robert Goodwill said: “The floods in Yorkshire have been devastating for residents and businesses across the county and we have seen the partial collapse of the Tadcaster bridge split the community in two.
“We have made the repair of the bridge a national priority and I am pleased to announce that today we are providing £3.3m to restore this important route. I am determined to ensure I do everything I can to help and this is an important step in keeping the recovery effort on track in Yorkshire.”
Councillor Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, added: “We are pleased that the government are providing their support and that we have this early confirmation that the government will fund the cost of the work to reconnect the local community. We want to get life in Tadcaster back to normal as quickly as possible.”
The temporary bridge will be built by a British firm.
The government has also pledged £40m for rebuilding local transport infrastructure for flood-affected areas in Cumbria and Lancashire following Storm Desmond and Storm Eva and is working closely with other affected authorities as they determine the level of damage caused following Eva and Frank.
