Scale Lane Bridge will close to the public from Tuesday 10 December until the New Year, when repair works to its swing mechanism are scheduled to take place.
A routine inspection of the bridge recently identified several bearings that need replacing to ensure the long-term operation of the structure.
However, with several river traffic movements anticipated in the coming months, the council has made the decision to swing the bridge open and engineers have been undertaking temporary repairs to allow this to happen.
Once the bridge is swung open, it will need to remain in that position until the full repair programme is carried out by a specialist contractor.
This work will start as soon as possible in the New Year, subject to the contractor’s other commitments. The council will then be able to provide further updates on when the bridge will be fully operational and be re-opened to the public.
“Following a recent inspection of the Scale Lane Bridge, engineers identified that, due to normal wear and tear, several of the swing mechanism’s bearings need replacing,” said Garry Taylor, assistant director for major projects, culture and place at Hull City Council.
“We have been discussing the situation with a specialist contractor over the past few weeks and, while this has been going on, the bridge has remained open and safe for the public to use.
“However, we are now in a situation where vessels want to use the River Hull.
“By law, vessels have priority over pedestrian traffic, so the decision has been made to swing the bridge open and keep it in that position until the repairs are completed in the New Year.
“The council would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.
“We will be working closely with local businesses, including the Premier Inn, as well as pubs and restaurants in the Old Town and Lowgate area, to ensure that members of the public are aware and signposted to alternative routes, such as the Millennium Bridge, to enable trade to continue.”
