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Flood-hit Tadcaster bridge opening to reunite town | Flood-hit Tadcaster bridge opening to reunite town |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A flood-hit bridge in North Yorkshire is due to reopen later after being closed for more than a year. | |
The listed 18th Century bridge over the River Wharfe in Tadcaster partially collapsed on 29 December 2015. | The listed 18th Century bridge over the River Wharfe in Tadcaster partially collapsed on 29 December 2015. |
The town was cut in two to traffic, with the only crossing being a temporary footbridge built a year ago. | |
The reopening has been slightly delayed with "unusual and persistent" high river levels adding to the construction problems. | The reopening has been slightly delayed with "unusual and persistent" high river levels adding to the construction problems. |
However, North Yorkshire County Council said repairs of this kind would normally take about two years and it had been "extremely challenging" to get the bridge open. | However, North Yorkshire County Council said repairs of this kind would normally take about two years and it had been "extremely challenging" to get the bridge open. |
Live updates and other stories from Yorkshire | Live updates and other stories from Yorkshire |
At the bridge: BBC reporter Phil Bodmer | |
There's a huge sense of anticipation in Tadcaster this morning ahead of the reopening of the bridge. | |
By my calculation, it's been 401 days since the bridge partially collapsed following flooding caused by the Boxing Day storms. | |
Since then local residents have faced massive detours to simply get from one side of the town to the other. | |
A short time ago, the final stone was laid and now engineers are busy resurfacing the carriageway, putting the final layer of tarmac onto the road. | |
The official reopening ceremony is due to take place at about 14:00 GMT. Road traffic will be allowed to drive over the bridge for the first time an hour later. | |
The bridge was repaired and widened with about £4m of funding, the council said. | |
The last stone was put in place on the bridge's parapet wall earlier, it said. | |
With the bridge closed, motorists have faced a long diversion along the A64 to reach the other side of town. | With the bridge closed, motorists have faced a long diversion along the A64 to reach the other side of town. |
The Tadcaster bridge story | The Tadcaster bridge story |
First stone bridge crossing the river built around 1200 | First stone bridge crossing the river built around 1200 |
The present bridge was built around 1700 | The present bridge was built around 1700 |
Parts of town hit on 26 December 2015 during severe winter floods | Parts of town hit on 26 December 2015 during severe winter floods |
Bridge partially collapsed 29 December 2015 | Bridge partially collapsed 29 December 2015 |
Temporary footbridge opened 12 February 2016 | Temporary footbridge opened 12 February 2016 |
Repaired and widened bridge to open 3 February | Repaired and widened bridge to open 3 February |