04/01/2016
John Clark - Managing Director of Mason Clark Associates at the opening of Newland Bridge
A bridge and road have been reopened to traffic following the completion of a major engineering scheme.
Newland Bridge and part of the A645 were closed in July to allow for vital repairs to the bridge and sections of the road surface to be improved.
The £3.3million project will be completed ahead of schedule and the bridge and road were reopened to traffic by East Riding of Yorkshire Council and its partners on Friday 18th December.
Stephen Parnaby OBE, leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “This was a very important scheme because the bridge repairs were essential.
“Improving the transport infrastructure of the East Riding is one of the council’s top priorities and this project will have long-term benefits for residents and motorists.
“Despite continued austerity and government funding cuts, we were able to secure the money to make this happen and I’m delighted that – working very closely with our partners – the road has been reopened successfully and ahead of schedule.”
Several diversion routes were in operation during the bridge closure and East Riding of Yorkshire Council worked with partners and businesses in the area to re-route HGV traffic away from small towns and villages and onto the motorways network.
The council announced the engineering project last December and consulted extensively with local town and parish councils, residents, businesses and other organisations to make sure people were kept informed.
Mike Ball, principal engineer with responsibility for the council’s highway bridges, thanked residents and motorists for their patience during the work.
He said: “We appreciate there is inconvenience with a scheme such as this and we endeavoured to complete the work as soon as possible.”
East Yorkshire firm PBS Construction (N.E.) Ltd won the contract to carry out the work and its managing director Peter Smurthwaite said the project had provided employment for about 20 people and made use of local suppliers, plant hire companies and sub-contractors, benefitting the local economy.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council successfully bid for £1.5million of the Local Growth Fund from the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership towards the bridge project.
The council also worked with North Yorkshire County Council, local town and parish councils and local businesses on the co-ordination of the scheme.