York triggers Lendal Bridge revamp
A contract will go out to tender in December, as the council looks to protect the critical bridge’s load-carrying capacity for future years.
The project will require the bridge’s closure for two months.
A City of York Council meeting this week will see members asked to sign off a proposed programme that will see officers set in motion a £1.9m investment from the council’s highways capital programme to fund essential maintenance works.
Also requested is a further £1.3m for other works, which will take longer to deliver but require only the closure of a footway.
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The main job will be tendered from December, with a contract awarded in February 2026. An eight-week contract would be expected to start in April.
Lendal Bridge is one of the most heavily-used areas of the city centre, familiar to visitors as the key route into the centre from the railway station.
As outlined by officers, the bridge has significant corrosion and deterioration, including life-expired surfacing and failed waterproofing. The works will directly address three urgent issues:
- Resurfacing the carriageway and footpaths
- Re-waterproofing the structure
- Urgent structural metalwork repairs, the extent of which will be confirmed once work begins.
These essential works – to be carried out by teams working 24/7 – will protect the bridge’s long-term load carrying capacity, eliminate frequent emergency repairs, and minimise the risk of more costly future interventions, CoYC said.
The additional works will take 38 weeks, and include the full repainting of all metalwork, including decorative features, and the coating of troughing, parapets and elevation treatments, with extended scaffolding required to deliver the job in full.
