A £500,000 project to repair a swing bridge in a village near Selby has been completed and it has reopened to traffic.

The swing bridge has undergone a major refurbishment of the mechanical equipment that runs the movement of the bridge, including the hydraulic, electrical and control systems.

Some components of the bridge had come to the end of their working life and were obsolete, so North Yorkshire County Council carried out a £500,000 upgrade to avoid a major breakdown, with work starting on October 8. The last major upgrade was 36 years ago.

A new hydraulic power system and a new gear ring comprising 12 specially-machined segments weighing a quarter of tonne each have been installed, plus two new gearbox drives and fixture systems. The bridge has been rewired and a new auto-lubrication system put in.

Test swings of the bridge will take place this week outside the hours for commuter traffic to limit any disruption.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, the county council’s executive member for highways, said: “There has been a lot of interest in this project and the contractor Group HES was able to keep the bridge open to pedestrians and cyclists while completing the work on schedule.

“We would like to thank residents and bridge users for their patience while this essential work was carried out.’’