PICTURES: Flood-damaged Tadcaster Bridge still not open

Date: 31st January 2017.
Picture James Hardisty.
Ongoing construction work to Tadcaster Bridge, which was severely damaged by the 2015 Boxing Day Floods, and was due to reopen today (Tuesday 31st January). — Date: 31st January 2017. Picture James Hardisty. Ongoing construction work to Tadcaster Bridge, which was severely damaged by the 2015 Boxing Day Floods, and was due to reopen today (Tuesday 31st January).

It has been closed for more than a year after becoming one of the highest-profile victims of the 2015 Boxing Day floods.

And as these pictures taken by The Yorkshire Post show, Tadcaster Bridge is still not yet ready to open after recent freezing temperatures delayed repair work.

North Yorkshire Council Council said last week that the opening date had been pushed back to today “provided that temperatures rise as forecast over the weekend”.

But it said in a later statement on Friday: “Following further assessments and discussions between the contractor and the county council...due to very difficult working conditions over a number of days in freezing temperatures, it seems likely that the opening of Tadcaster Bridge will be pushed to the back of next week.

“In an effort to keep work progressing during these freezing temperatures the contractors erected heated tents over the masonry parapet wall on the upstream side of the bridge.

“But even the tents were unable to maintain temperatures at a level that would permit masonry work to continue.

“As a result, this has significantly hampered the operation, losing a number of days of masonry work in the past week.”