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30
Jun
Volunteer explains simple footbridge repair the council had to reject
More information about the nature of the damage to Spruisty Bridge in Harrogate has come to light.
The 17th-century packhorse bridge is a much-used crossing of Oak Beck at Knox, on the northern edge of the town, but North Yorkshire Council closed it off last week due to safety reasons.
The Stray Ferret was told that one of the handrails was broken, but now it appears that a section has simply come out of its socket due to shrinkage of the wood caused by dry weather conditions.
The cause of the problem is apparently so simple that local volunteers have offered their services to North Yorkshire Council to fix it – free of charge.
Keith Wilkinson MBE, of Bilton Conservation Group, told the Stray Ferret:
One of the upper handrails has come out of its socket in the bridge’s stonework and has slumped down at an angle to settle on the lower handrail, which is still in place. But both rails are still securely bolted to the single upstand.
It’s happened because the extremely dry weather has shrunk the rails and wedges and left the fitting loose and prone to falling out.
If the weather becomes wetter, no doubt the seven wedges and handrails remaining in situ will swell and tighten up.
The problem in a nutshell. Left: the displaced handrail has come out of its socket (top of frame). Right: how it should look.
He said that fixing the problem was a “modest proposition”, and that experienced members of Bilton Conservation Group were up to the task. He said:
What we proposed to North Yorkshire Council, via Cllr Paul Haslam, is that volunteers could simply put in a second substantial upstand made of green oak, like the rest of the handrails, and then put the wedges back.
It would make the handrail stable, it would look like the rest of the wood within a couple of years, and wouldn’t impact in any way on the structure of the bridge.
We consider ourselves competent, and we’re insured. Our chairman, Warren Considine, is a civil engineer, so he knows what he’s doing, and we’ll even pay for it out of our own funds.
But my suspicion is the council won’t let amateurs play with their bridge.
In fact, that question has already been answered. Cllr Haslam, who represents the Bilton and Nidd Gorge division on North Yorkshire Council and is also town councillor for the Old Bilton ward, relayed the BCG’s offer to North Yorkshire Council on Friday but it was rejected, with thanks.
Cllr Haslam said:
If the bridge weren’t listed, it would probably be repaired by now, but the council can’t just do what it wants with a grade II listed building. There’s a process, and you just have to let it take its course.
We are looking at different options, so that maybe work can continue on the bridge and in the meantime people can still go across it.
I don’t know how long it will all take, but everybody’s trying to do their best, and I don’t know what else you can expect of people.
In the meantime, the bridge remains closed and people needing to cross the beck are being advised to take alternative routes.
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