Hope to bridge the gap by the end of the year

A historic bridge has been totally demolished leaving a gaping hole over the Calder and Hebble Navigation Canal.
Elland Bridge repairs.Elland Bridge repairs.
Elland Bridge repairs.

The new Elland bridge has been designed to look similar to the existing one but with a strengthened concrete arch inside it.

The result will be a stronger bridge, built to modern standards whilst still reflecting the history of the canal.

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Judy Jones, heritage advisor for the Canal & River Trust, said: “It’s sad to see the bridge being taken down but this is an important step in reinstating the link across the canal for local people.

“Research has shown that the bridge was built just over 200 years ago as an extension to the river bridge and so has great historical interest.

With this in mind it’s not just a case of going in with a wrecking ball, we’re taking a careful approach to preserve as many of the important features as possible so that they can be put in place on the new bridge.

“As a result the new bridge should look familiar to local people, retaining the scale of the existing bridge and boasting some of the historical features.”

The bridge was severly damaged by flood waters on Boxing Day 2015 and caused it to collapse. It’s anticipated the new bridge will be open before the end of the year.

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