Historic bridge reopens after emergency repairs

A 19th Century bridge shut for repairs after it was damaged by a lorry has reopened.

Middleham Bridge, which links Middleham and Leyburn, had been closed to traffic and pedestrians since the incident on 3 September.

Work to repair and reopen the crossing over the River Ure was estimated to have cost £40,000.

North Yorkshire Council leader Carl Les said: "We appreciate how important this route is in the area, so I would like to thank residents, businesses, schools and visitors for their patience."

He added: "Everybody involved in the project has worked incredibly hard to make the structure safe to restore access for road users as quickly as possible.

"We are now looking at a long-term solution to reduce the risk of future vehicle strikes while keeping its historic character."

The council said in a bid to prevent further collisions it would need to apply for listed building consent to increase the height of the arches by about 10in (25cm).

A spokesperson said it was hoped the work could be carried out in the summer.

However, they said that if consent was not granted to alter the structure the damaged arch would be rebuilt in its current position and form.

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