Local MP Dehenna Davison met with residents at the Whorlton Bridge over the River Tees to speak with residents about its closure.
During the Summer Recess of Parliament Dehenna Davison has met with local residents of Whorlton and Wycliffe to discuss the closure of the Whorlton Bridge. The bridge which is a key connection between local villages has been closed to motorists for over a year due to a safety defect. It was speculated the repairs would take up to a year to complete leaving residents disconnected to friends and family across the river.
The bridge is said to date back to 1831 and is one of the earliest suspension bridges in the country. Despite modifications to strengthen it, it has a weight limit of 3 tons and, due to the age of the bridge, needs regular inspections.
Residents have been campaigning for the bridge to re-open for over a year. Davison joined residents on the morning of the 5th August to hear their concerns and discuss plans to move the repairs forward.
She said:
“It is right that the bridge is closed until it is safe for drivers to pass over however, it should be of paramount importance repairs are conducted as soon as possible to ensure residents of both villages are able to quickly and conveniently visit each other.
“It was really insightful to hear from residents the issues the closure has caused and talk about what they would like to see moving forward. I hope to work closely with the local council on this issue to provide a positive result.
“I am also working with the Government to explore how we can best maintain our historic bridges and look forward to picking this up further when Parliament returns in September.”
