Protestors condemn bridge infill at cost of £133,000

A Freedom of Information Request has revealed that National Highways infilled an 1846 bridge over the former Harrogate-Church Fenton line last year by “guesswork”, it has been claimed.

The allegation that the blocking off of the cycle path was entirely unnecessary has come from the HRE Group, which continues to protest about the work already carried out or planned for hundreds of redundant structures across the UK.

It was on October 6 2020 that consultants acting for National Highways told Selby District Council that Rudgate bridge presented “an ongoing and increasing risk to public safety”, and would be infilled “to prevent an emergency arising”.

While use of the bridge has been prohibited to vehicles over three tonnes for some time, it had actually been assessed as being safe for 32 tonnes. However, it was still infilled by contractors over a period of five weeks from March 8 2021, at a cost of £133,000.

HRE’s further complaint is that National Highways did not have recent records of its condition, and that the blockage now impedes expansion of the National Cycle Network route south-east to Tadcaster. 

To read the full story, see RAIL 973.

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