Significant repair works to Lendal Bridge will not take place until next summer at the earliest, according to a senior council officer.
A council report on its capital programme said funding for repairs to the iron bridge would be carried over until 2023/24, for work to take place “in future years”.
The council’s 2022/23 budget set aside £1.1m for “essential bridge maintenance”. This figure was also quoted in an update to senior councillors in 2021.
Labour leader Coun Claire Douglas asked director of place Neil Ferris for the latest details about Lendal Bridge during a meeting of the council’s executive committee.
He said: “We’re undertaking survey work on Lendal Bridge at the moment in terms of how waterproof the deck is, because it’s a steel structure and water permeating through that surface, in the long term, will be detrimental to the existence of the bridge.
“We do anticipate that the bridge will require significant resurfacing work. We’re currently doing the work to establish the extent of that, so that will be one for a new administration to tackle.”
Coun Douglas said her understanding was that the council already knew what was wrong with the bridge.
“I thought that quite a lot of the assessment work had already been done,” she added.
Mr Ferris replied: “Not to my knowledge. The work is being undertaken in terms of the extent of the work that will be necessary – but we do envisage work will need to be done.”
The update to councillors in early 2021 read: “The highway surfacing across this structure has been displaying signs of deterioration for some time.
“A failing road surface allows water to penetrate into the structure and cause deterioration of protective systems (paint) and structural elements. Water also appears to be getting into the structure via the footway and utility ducts.”
It added: “This scheme will aim to reduce these sources of ongoing deterioration. The protective coating system (paint) will be renewed or refurbished where required. Any necessary structural repairs will be undertaken as part of the works to the bridge.”
Some surface repairs were made in September last year after cyclists complained it was “lethal”.
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