TADCASTER Bridge is not now set to reopen until the end of January, following fresh set-backs.

The Press revealed today that work by stone masons had been hindered earlier this week by river levels that were bafflingly high, given the dry autumn.

North Yorkshire County Council revealed on Thursday that it could not hit its target of the end of the year, because of persistent and unusually high levels in the River Wharfe which had delayed the work by about 20 days.

“The Wharfe has remained high despite lower than average rainfall for the time of year, which has caused water levels on other rivers to fall,” said a spokesman.

“The county council has learned in the last few days that the primary cause is damming of the river by Network Rail five miles downstream at Ulleskelf for work on a railway bridge.

“Although the Environment Agency issued a permit for this work to be carried out, North Yorkshire was not notified about the operation.

“Resulting high water levels have held up piling work and the creation of a new pier base for the reconstructed bridge, as this had to take place below the water line.”

He said that following a detailed review of the works on Wednesday by all parties involved in the reconstruction, the council anticipated the project would be completed by the end of January, although every effort would continue to finish the work sooner.

York Press:

Tadcaster county councillor Chris Metcalfe said: “We are extremely frustrated by this development. Our contractors have been pulling out all the stops to get this very complex, painstaking job completed within the year.”

But Cllr Don Mackay, the Mayor of Tadcaster, said he felt the county council had been ‘slow off the mark and dragging its heels.’

Network Rail had initially denied being to blame, but a spokesman backtracked on Thursday.

He said it was carrying out vital bridge work at Ulleskelf as part of its Railway Upgrade Plan, and said it had agreed the terms of work with the Environment Agency prior to accessing the stretch of river it needed to work at. 

“We have worked to the agreed plan for several weeks and yesterday, Wednesday, for the first time, we were advised that there may be an impact on the water level in Tadcaster,” he said.

“After speaking with the agency, we have agreed to remove our worksite from the river to allow water levels to drop and essential work to take place at Tadcaster this weekend before we return to Ulleskelf to finish our own bridge repairs.”

The 18th century grade two listed bridge is being reconstructed and widened with £3m funding from the Government and £1.4m from the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership.