York council has issued a major update on two of its infrastructure projects this evening (Friday).
It says plans to close Lendal Bridge for eight weeks this spring have now been put back.
And that’s because the York Station Gateway scheme has been delayed by months.
YorkMix revealed that Lendal Bridge had to close for “urgent structural metalwork repairs” last October.
It will mean the route is shut to all vehicles, although pedestrians and possibly cyclists could still use it.
The closure was scheduled to start this April, but it has now been delayed to 2027 due to “unavoidable delays” on the Station Gateway project.
City of York Council says they can’t have both schemes running at the same time, as it would cause “significant impacts on the transport network”.
And they must be “carefully timed to avoid other utilities and construction works taking place on roads across the city, keep the city moving and avoid additional costs”.
‘Unanticipated works’
So what’s happened to the Station Gateway project, which began in April 2024 and was due to be completed before the original Lendal Bridge work this April?
“In recent months the Station Gateway project has suffered delays due to a number of unanticipated additional works including the rerouting of electrical supplies and the need to fill in an underground Victorian water tank,” City of York Council says.
“As a result the project has been delayed by a number of months and the works programme now clashes with the timing of when the Lendal Bridge works were originally scheduled.”
Cllr Kate Ravilious, executive member for transport said, “An updated programme for Station Gateway has confirmed it will take a little longer. In order to keep the city moving we need to avoid the Station Gateway and Lendal Bridge schemes overlapping.
“As a result, we are rescheduling Lendal Bridge to a later date and through ongoing inspections will ensure the bridge remains safe for all users.
“Any pause in the Station Gateway project linked to the planned Lendal Bridge closure would lead to substantial additional costs for the city and cause longer disruption for residents and businesses.
“As a result, the Lendal Bridge works will be rescheduled and our expectation is that they will now happen in 2027.”
Checks on bridge safety
The council says “enhanced inspections will take place over the coming months to ensure the bridge remains safe”.
It added: “The timing of the Lendal Bridge works will be subject to the ongoing review of work happening across the city, and identifying spaces in the calendar where it is possible to carry out the repairs in a way that minimises disruption to residents, businesses, commuters, and visitors.”
The council will share a further update as the rescheduled date for the Lendal Bridge repairs is confirmed.
