WORK on a multi-million pound project to improve Scarborough Bridge over the River Ouse will start on Monday.

The plans will see the pedestrian and cycle part of the bridge widened from 1.3 metres to four metres, while ramps will be added to make the bridge easier for cyclists, and accessible for people using buggies or wheelchairs.

More than 3,000 people use the bridge every day to access the train station, riverside paths and cycleways and the city centre.

The footbridge will be shut from late January 2019, when it will be removed, and the new bridge is due to open in March.

Marygate Car Park will also have fewer space available while work takes place as the site will be used for construction. And the path that runs alongside the car park, including the flood gate next to Scarborough Bridge, will be closed from the end of October.

City of York Council Executive member for transport and planning, Cllr Peter Dew, said: “More than 3,000 pedestrians and cyclists use Scarborough Bridge everyday, therefore I’m pleased that work will soon be starting to put in place this long overdue upgrade. This is another major step forwards in our aim of providing a traffic free route from York Central and the railway station through to the city centre. I hope residents will bear with us during the upgrade works and whilst there is likely to be some disruption we will do everything possible to keep this to a minimum.”

A £4.8 million funding package was agreed for the scheme in November 2017 and planning permission was granted in March. At the time, some concerns were raised about the impact of the work on the heritage of the bridge. But council officers said it was a “once in a generation opportunity” to improve a key crossing and added that any harm would be outweighed by benefits the new bridge would bring.

A report prepared for councillors before the planning meeting said that the footbridge is used daily despite restricted access, and that it was “entirely inadequate” for such usage.

The new bridge will have ramps at either end and will be nearly three times as wide as it is currently. Preparation work will start on site at the end of this month, with the ramps and steps due to be finished at the start of 2019.

Cllr Kim Groves, chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee, said: “Construction of the new, fully-accessible and widened bridge is being supported by funding from our City Connect programme. Through City Connect we aim to encourage more people to cycle and walk, which we know as well as boosting people’s health and saving them money, brings wider environmental and economic benefits.”