Scheme background

Introduction

Otley Bridge is located in the centre of Otley town and carries the two-lane single carriageway B6451, Bridge Street over the River Wharfe. A pedestrian crossing is provided by a supplementary cantilever walkway attached to the east side of the bridge. The bridge is the only remaining Medieval bridge crossing the River Wharfe and is believed to have been built in 1228 with repair, widening and lengthening in 1775 by John Carr. The cantilever walkway was added in the mid 1950's and the design and implementation is of its time - limited design life, limited consideration of material durability and very limited consideration of future maintenance.

The bridge is scheduled as an ancient monument and as such, it is protected by Historic England. In 1950 the walkway structure had been removed from the Schedule of Ancient Monuments and although the year of re listing is not known it is currently recorded as scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

The pedestrian route is widely used and provides access to nearby amenities including the primary school from the north side of the river. The nearest alternative crossing point for pedestrians is approximately 800m downstream in Wharfemeadows Park. The nearest alternative vehicle crossing points are Ilkley or Pool in Wharfedale.

Walkway Issues

The footway was installed in 1957 and a major refurbishment was carried out in 1984 when during the works additional permanent supports were installed rather than replace damaged planks, likely due the complexities of replacing them. The original planks which support the walkway are now nearly 70 years old. They do not meet modern standards for durability and when coupled with their condition can be considered as having exceeded their serviceable life. cantilevers, which act as the main supports of the walkway, have also deteriorated significantly over the years.

It is very difficult to inspect and maintain the current cantilever footway, due in part to the layout of the bridge which puts limitations of the use of underbridge units and because of the ducts under the walkway deck which obscure visibility. Access from the River Wharfe is limited due to flooding and fast flowing water which can affect the use of boats or pontoons.

In July 2023 a hole in the footway was reported by a member of the public and following a safety inspection, further holes in the were identified. As the open gaps were relatively discreet in location, plastic deck boards were able to be installed spanning over the deck planks and covering the holes. To ensure they remained in place and to identify any further holes, a rolling programme of inspections was put in place.

If the council does not address the footbridge problems the deterioration will continue, with current mitigation finally becoming inadequate. This will eventually need a full closure of the walkway to pedestrians on safety grounds, and a lengthy pedestrian diversion or disruptive traffic lights facilitate pedestrians on the road bridge.

Images of damage to current footbridge