Urgent maintenance work set to start on city’s historic bridge

Urgent maintenance works are to start next week on the historic Leeds Bridge.

From Monday, work to strengthen, clean and repaint the bridge which carries traffic on Bridge End over the River Aire by The Calls in the city centre, will get underway.

The project managed by Leeds City Council is expected to take 16 months to complete, with traffic restrictions being in place from late January meaning there no will be no access over the bridge for most northbound traffic (heading towards the city centre).

Only the Elland Road Park and Ride service will continue to travel in that direction from 7am to 7pm on weekdays in order to minimise disruption for commuters.

A signed diversion will be set up via Great Wilson Street, Crown Point Road, Kirkgate and The Calls for all other city-bound motorists. While the work is carried out, there will be no disruption to southbound traffic.

Two-way access will continue to be provided for cyclists, and access will be maintained throughout for pedestrians.

The council said the decision has been taken to carry out the work now in order to ensure some continuity and avoid the bridge needing to be completely closed in the future.

Completed in 1873, the grade II-listed Leeds Bridge is made of wrought and cast iron.

The bridge is also famous for being the location in 1888 of what is considered some of the world’s first-ever moving film footage, when Louis Le Prince filmed traffic travelling across it.