The Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council and his Portfolio Holder for Highways have today shared their absolute frustration and anger over the on-going situation with Corporation Road Bridge.
As Councillors were briefed and discussed a new timeline, Councillor Philip Jackson and Councillor Stewart Swinburn say they fully sympathise with all who have been inconvenienced by its continued closure and understand public sentiment – as they feel it themselves.
They also re-emphasised their determination to ensure the Bridge is completed back to its full working order – it is Grade II listed, replacement is not an option and would be far more expensive, and the council’s action to fully restore is supported by historians.
They point out that significant restoration has been ignored for decades without any proper maintenance programme being put into place – something they are actively tackling to make sure this situation doesn’t happen again in the future.
The councillors went on to reassure that, since taking full control of the project to restore the Grade II listed 100-year-old structure in late spring this year, they have directed council officers to act decisively to get the bridge restored and re-opened.
The project came back into Council control in May this year, shortly before the council’s contract with its regeneration partner Equans ended in June with all services returning to the authority. As the Council’s well-established regeneration partner, Equans provided professional services such as engineering and project management, and were responsible for overseeing the works and contractual operations of this scheme until the middle of May this year.
Tonight (Wednesday), the cross-party group of councillors attended a public scrutiny meeting, where the latest options for the full restoration of the bridge were outlined, and they were given the opportunity to express their views.
A presentation outlined how there were two options that had been recommended to the council by bridge restoration experts Taziker to ensure full restoration going forward – one to keep it fully closed until the work is completely finished, likely to reopen in December 2026, and the other to get to a point of partial opening which would see a more expensive option of the bridge reopened earlier under temporary traffic lights as works continue and a full reopening in the middle of 2027.
Scrutiny Panel Councillors gave feedback in favour of option 1, to continue with the works under a full closure.
What will follow tomorrow (Thursday), is a meeting of the Council’s Cabinet, where the final decisions will be made.
As the formal council process is carried out, Councillor Jackson and Councillor Swinburn have issued a joint statement saying: “We have taken charge, we are clear on accountability, and we have taken the right steps to ensure a situation like this doesn’t happen again. This situation is unacceptable, and we share the views of many local people.
“However we cannot turn back the clock and what is vital now is that we move on, we get this right and we return what is a highly important historical asset back to its former glory.”
In just the last six months since the Council took full control of the project, significant action has been taken:
- The Council terminated the original contract with Spencer Group (CSL);
- Experienced bridge restoration company, Taziker, are assisting with the project;
- Assessments and a number of inspections above and below deck have been carried out on the bridge to produce an updated programme of works;
- Invasive testing has been carried out across the site, above and below the deck.
- Cllr Swinburn has also confirmed that the Council has ‘instructed a number of independent experts to critically review the work undertaken to date’.
He said: “Early indications suggest that there are defects that require remediation. The authority is committed to pursuing the appropriate legal recourse in relation to the same, should it be necessary.”
Councillor Jackson, Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, added:
“Once physical work started on the bridge, it became apparent that corrosion and structural degradation was much worse than initial surveys had indicated.
“My colleagues and I are frustrated with the delays and the lack of progress. It’s not good enough. We have been very patient, but the level of delay and the cost of the works is no longer acceptable.
“I’m pleased that we have now been able to make tangible progress in the last few months, and we’ll see workers back on site, and things moving forward.”
Councillor Stewart Swinburn, portfolio holder for highways, added:
“We know that this work has caused some disruptions for businesses and residents, and whilst much of this has been unavoidable, we have asked officers to share more regular communications about the works with local residents and businesses going forward.”
Similar to the Tower Bridge in London, Corporation Bridge is one of only 25-bascule lifting bridges remaining in England, and has attracted grant funding due to its significance as a heritage asset, reflecting Grimsby’s industrial rise in the early part of the 20th Century.
The bridge was opened by the then Prince of Wales – later King Edward VIII – in 1928.
Replacing the bridge has never been an option due to the structure’s Grade II listed status, and the sheer cost. For example, the estimated costs of a new road bridge over the Northumberland rail line has risen from £11m in 2021 to more than £30m by 2023, according to media reports.
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