Traffic bollardscause headache for motorists

Local residents concerned at Mearclough Bridge, Sowerby Bridge, as too many vehicles are being damaged by the new width barriers

The road across the bridge, in Sowerby Bridge, was closed for a number of months earlier in the year so it could be narrowed.

But drivers say the measures are causing havoc. David Harrup, 64, says his car was damaged while he tried to navigate the bridge to get to his home in Spark House Lane, Norland.

He said: “I’ve been driving for 40 years and I’ve never seen anything like it. I understand the problems because of wagons coming down, but why don’t they put calming measures half way down the bridge. You can’t do a right hand turn from Walker Lane.”

A sign next to the bridge says it is 6ft 6ins wide, but Mr Harrup, a volunteer with Community Transport Calderdale, claims he has measured it and it’s only 6ft 3ins.

He thinks around 12 cars have been damaged and says people are now “frightened” of using the bridge.

Steven Lee, Calderdale Council’s head of highways and transportation, said: “Mearclough Bridge is not suitable for large, heavy vehicles, so we have introduced a weight restriction on the bridge and reduced the width of the road to protect the bridge and keep the area as safe as possible for pedestrians and cyclists.

“The bridge is accessible for cars and small vans. There are signs on the roads approaching the bridge to let drivers know in advance that there is a width restriction, so that they are aware of the need to drive carefully over the bridge.

“We are aware that originally there were some minor issues with one end of the restriction and we resolved them as soon as we became aware.”

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