[B]ell Bridge was officially reopened today by Cllr John Bell, Chairman of Cumbria County Council, restoring a key link between the communities of Sebergham and Welton.
Cumbria County Council has invested £1.1m in the project to build a replacement bridge after the original structure was damaged by Storm Desmond and other storms, and subsequently collapsed following Storm Jonas in January 2016.
The county council managed the project and Story Contracting Limited was appointed as the contractor to design and construct the new bridge. The works also included temporary repairs and significant patching to nearby Bell Lonning.
The new bridge has been formed in weathered steel beams with masonry-clad reinforced concrete abutments and parapet walls, creating resilience to any future flood events. As much of the original stone as possible was used to face the new bridge, ensuring the new structure is in keeping with the surrounding area.
Councillor Keith Little, Cumbria County Council Cabinet member for Highways and Transport, said: “The county council is delighted to be able to reopen Bell Bridge following completion of a new bridge. A great deal of work has gone into the planning, design, construction and delivery of this project and we now have a first rate new bridge that will hopefully last another 200 years. Today’s reopening is another key milestone in our recovery programme to repair flood damaged bridges – to date 278 bridges have been repaired, or rebuilt like Bell Bridge, 264 are in progress and 242 are scheduled to begin work in the coming months.”
Nick Raymond, Head of Infrastructure Recovery & Major Programmes at Cumbria County Council, said: “Bell Bridge has again showcased fantastic local skill and workmanship and it’s a testament to the strength of the local Cumbrian supply chain that we could deliver this replacement bridge project to such a high standard. The work here, and at other historic bridges in the county, has allowed our contractors to develop experience and hone skills that are giving their businesses a real advantage. We’re pleased that through our Infrastructure Recovery Programme we have been able to turn the damage caused by the floods into a positive opportunity to grow our local civil engineering sector.”
John Slee, Project Manager, Story Contracting Limited said: “We are delighted to have been involved in the project to reconstruct Bell Bridge over the past year after the historic structure was swept away. We’d also like to thank the local community for their support and cooperation over the course of the works and hope that the new structure will remind people of the old bridge, whilst being designed to modern standards.”
Previously, Bell Bridge was a single-span hump-back arch, under a solid parapet with chamfered coping. This was constructed in 1772 and replaced the original Bell Bridge which was destroyed by a flood in 1771. The Grade II listed bridge featured on the Cumbria Way walk and was named after the Bell Family of the nearby Bell-bridge Farm.
