Further delays to Ouse Bridge repair work

The full reopening of a busy East Yorkshire motorway bridge has been delayed again.

Repairs to the M62 Ouse Bridge were scheduled to be finished by August.

Now, National Highways has said the final completion date will be in "mid-Autumn" this year.

Repairs started on the bridge near Goole in March 2022 after damaged joints were found.

National Highways said the delayed reopening was "due to several issues which have had to be addressed".

"They include work on deteriorated waterproofing membranes and subsurface drainage, as well as the renewal of corroded structural reinforcement," the agency added.

Traffic restrictions are in place during the works, with parts of the carriageways closed off and a 30mph (48km/h) speed limit while crossing the bridge.

National Highways Project Manager John Stebbing said that the safety of drivers and road workers was "paramount".

“We recognise the impact of this scheme on drivers, residents and businesses, and our contractors have been working around the clock to complete the work," he said.

"Unfortunately, it is not uncommon to encounter issues when working with complex structures such as Ouse Bridge, especially ones designed and constructed around 50 years ago."

The agency said that once the joints had been replaced there would be further work which would be carried out "using overnight or low-impact traffic management measures".

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