North Northallerton bridge

The North Northallerton bridge is a road bridge straddling the Northallerton–Eaglescliffe railway line in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, England. The bridge is on a link road connecting the A167 in the west, and the A684 in the east and in part, is intended to provide relief for the congestion caused in Northallerton due to the many level crossings which hold up road traffic. The link road runs through a set of new housing estates between Northallerton and Brompton, and has been beset by delays, originally intended for opening in late 2021, it was opened on 16 December 2022.

North Northallerton bridge
North Northallerton Bridge from the west
Coordinates54.351°N 1.435°W / 54.351; -1.435
OS grid referenceSE367953
CrossesNorthallerton–Eaglescliffe railway line
Brompton Beck
LocaleNorthallerton, North Yorkshire, England
Other name(s)North Beck bridge
Northallerton link bridge
Characteristics
MaterialWeathered steel
Total length150 metres (490 ft)
No. of spans3
History
Construction startJuly 2020
Construction cost£7.6 million (2022)
OpeningDecember 2022 (projected)
Location

History

The bridge was granted approval in 2015, though objections to the whole project, including the two housing estates, saw a delay in final approvals until 2016. Work was due to start in April 2017, with an original opening date of 2019.[1] However, it was only in July 2020 that work was actually initiated, with a revised opening timeline of late 2021 for its opening.[2] The bridge and link road were approved to provide relief from congestion in Northallerton town due to the railway lines in the town having several level crossings which lead to traffic tailbacks, especially at Low Gates, a crossing guarding the A167 to Darlington.[3][4] The bridge is part of a link road through two housing estates (which will consist of 900 dwellings), which has been jointly developed by Persimmon and Taylor-Wimpey.[5] The two housing estates are separated by a railway line, and a stream.[6] The decision to locate the bridge at the point where the stream and the railway are adjacent to each other was taken to lower the cost of the bridge, and so it could have a shorter span.[7]

The Bridge straddles both the Northallerton to Eaglescliffe railway line and Brompton Beck/North Beck,[note 1][9] and provides a link between the A167 to Darlington (Darlington Road), and the A684 (Stokesley Road) to the A19 trunk road.[3][10] The construction has been beset by delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and also that an incorrect membrane had been laid under tarmac, which then had to be all ripped up and started again.[11]

The bridge was opened on 16 December 2022.[12][13]

Details

The three-span bridge is 150 metres (490 ft) long (the entire link road stretches for 900 metres (3,000 ft)), and is 12 metres (39 ft) above ground level, with 25-metre (82 ft) deep piles.[14][15] The steel beams of the bridge are 100 metres (330 ft) long and weigh 350 tonnes (390 tons) each.[10] With preparatory works completed, the bridge was lowered into position in September 2021.[16] The cost of the whole link road is £12 million, with £7.6 million being spent on the bridge alone.[3]

Notes
  1. Brompton Beck changes its name to North Beck near to the bridge. It later becomes Willow Beck, flowing through Northallerton and entering into the River Wiske.[8]

References
  1. Minting, Stuart (24 March 2022). "Drivers waiting for new £12m road to open in Northallerton face indefinite delay". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  2. Gleeson, Janet (28 October 2022). "Hopes delayed link road will open within weeks". Darlington & Stockton Times. No. 2022–43. p. 3. ISSN 2516-5348.
  3. Minting, Stuart (7 September 2022). "Building firm 'dragging its feet' on opening bridge and bypass". The Yorkshire Post. p. 8. ISSN 0963-1496.
  4. Minting, Stuart (9 September 2022). "Frustration mounts at bridge opening delays". Darlington & Stockton Times. No. 2022–36. p. 7. ISSN 2516-5348.
  5. Gleeson, Janet (16 September 2022). "Concerns new link road could take months to open". Darlington & Stockton Times. No. 2022–37. p. 18. ISSN 2516-5348.
  6. "Eric Wright Civil Engineering start on site with north Northallerton link road and over bridge". Eric Wright Group. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  7. NNDA 2011, p. 39.
  8. "Willow Beck Catchment (trib of Wiske) | Catchment Data Explorer | Catchment Data Explorer". environment.data.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  9. Chapman, Hannah, ed. (9 September 2022). "Spectator's Notes: Bridge too far for Northallerton". Darlington & Stockton Times. No. 2022–36. p. 20. ISSN 2516-5348.
  10. Price, Kelley (27 September 2021). "Huge bridge beams hoisted into place for link road". Teesside Live. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  11. Minting, Stuart (9 July 2022). "Frustration over £12m bridge opening delays". York Press. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  13. "Long awaited Northallerton link road and bridge opens". BBC News. 16 December 2022. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  14. Minting, Stuart (17 November 2021). "HGVs will no longer have to travel through Northallerton as new bridge and road opens". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
  15. "North Beck Bridge, Northallerton". ericwright.co.uk. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
  16. Oldfield, Alison (27 September 2021). "Northallerton bridge lowered into place". Hambleton District Council. Retrieved 30 October 2022.

Sources
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