New bridge ends a five-year drama
ABRIDGE destroyed in devastating floods has finally reopened - more than five years on.
Kay Street Bridge in Summerseat, was badly damaged during the Boxing Day floods of 2015, which caused the collapse of the nearby Waterside Inn pub.
The bridge has remained closed to traffic ever since as repair works suffered a number of delays and setbacks.
Lengthy negotiations with the landowner of the 200-year-old pub were initially responsible for delaying the work to rebuild the bridge.
However, in 2018, Bury council used compulsory purchase powers to buy land on and around the bridge.
This paved the way for repairs to finally resume.
The council had hoped to reopen the bridge in 2019, but the work was delayed again after surveys revealed its foundations had been damaged much more than first thought.
Work was also suspended last year due to Environment Agency rules which did not allow river access during the fish breeding season.
The repairs also had to be suspended in February this year following the tragic gas explosion which claimed the life of Summerseat resident Hazel Wilcock.
The repairs, which cost a total of £1.6 million, have now been completed and the bridge was officially opened by Summerseat resident and former Mayor of Bury, Dorothy Gunter at a ceremony on Friday, June 18.
Coun Eamonn O’Brien, leader of Bury Council, said: “It’s been a long process, but finally the residents of Summerseat will have a fully working second bridge to the village.
“Our engineers have coped admirably with the numerous challenges that faced them during the rebuild.”
While the repairs have been welcome by most
Summerseat residents, not everyone in the village was convinced it was a good idea.
When the plans to fix the two-arched stone bridge first emerged two years ago, a total of 19 objections were lodged, with many living nearby concerned about an increase in traffic.
The village, which is located between Bury and Ramsbottom, is used by drivers as a short cut to the M66.
While previously there were two routes drivers could use, the closure of the bridge meant all traffic has since had to travel along Rowlands Road and Railway Street.