Progress is being made on the restoration of a historic bridge in County Durham.
Durham County Council has confirmed VolkerLaser as the main contractor appointed to carry out repairs on the historic Whorlton Bridge in Barnard Castle.
Opened in July 1831, the Grade II-listed structure and Scheduled Monument is the UK’s oldest road suspension bridge and also the UK’s earliest surviving iron chained suspension bridge.
For the public’s safety the bridge was closed in 2019 after a routine assessment identified that it was no longer able to support the weight of vehicles or pedestrians.
Investigations have taken place leading to a detailed design for the repair required for the historic structure and Scheduled Ancient Monument. An application for consent is being considered by Historic England.
A compound will be constructed on site in the autumn, followed by the installation of a cable crane to dismantle the bridge piece by piece, before restoring and rebuilding the structure to its former glory.
Cllr John Shuttleworth, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for rural communities and highways, said: “We are delighted that we are one step closer to restoring the historic bridge to its former glory and would like to thank members of the public for their patience whilst the programme of repairs has been developed.”
For further information and the latest updates on Whorlton Bridge, please visit www.durham.gov.uk/whorltonbridge
