Harewood Bridge: Leeds council issues closure update after weather postpones repair works

Grade-II listed Harewood Bridge, which carries the A61 Leeds to Harrogate Road across the River Wharfe, was due to shut overnight on Wednesday 18 and Thursday, October 19 to carry out further specialist resurfacing work but this work is now set to be completed via individual lane closures instead.

The full closure, designed to complete a section of the bridge unable to be completed during the previous period of works in August, was later postponed due to bad weather brought on by Storm Babet and the heavy rain that was forecast.

A Leeds City Council Spokesperson said: “For the works at Harewood Bridge to take place, we need conditions to be absolutely dry for the period of treatment to the road surface. Working with the contractor we are now able to deliver the works during off peak (9:30am to 2pm) lane closures, removing the need for any road closures.

“The works are being planned to avoid the wetter and possibly unpredictable weather ahead and once the dates are known we will communicate these as we have for the previous works.”

The bridge, which sees 17,000 vehicles use it each day, was previously shut for a period of three weeks over the summer for waterproofing, resurfacing and footpath repair works.

It came mere months after locals hit out at city council over “alarming potholes”. Local resident Diane Lowe, 66, contacted the YEP in March after becoming embroiled in a row with council over claims that a pothole on the bridge had caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage to her car.