Corporation bridge costs and timescales update
It's been closed since February 2023
Estimated costs and timescales for the repair and reopening of Corporation Road Bridge in Grimsby are expected in October. Councillors were told this in a verbal update by an officer at the latest transport, infrastructure and strategic housing scrutiny panel meeting.
The Grade II-listed structure has been closed to motorists since February 2023. Earlier this month, North East Lincolnshire Council announced it had hired experienced UK bridge restoration company Taziker as the new main contractor for remaining works.
It comes as £1m transport grant cash is also being allocated by the council towards the bridge’s repair. The local authority has got £6.1m Local Transport Grant cash for 2025/26 out of £25.2m capital funding devolved to the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCCA).
Councillors on the panel were told it was not possible to give a timescale on the remaining programme of works or cost yet. A range of procurement options were looked at for securing a new main contractor, an officer said.
A two-stage procurement was opted for, with a pre-construction service agreement to reduce risk. This has been reached with Taziker.
A second stage contract will finalise costs and timescales. Early October was advised as the point for “potentially completion of the second stage”. Surveying of the bridge is being done currently.
There are also contracts to be awarded for the lifting mechanism and control panel, highways lighting, and resurfacing. The officer expected an update with costs and timescale estimates to be able to given by the end of October.
He also detailed local authority actions since the termination of the previous main contractor. These included not only retention of scaffolding, but also securing EMA and MMO permits for future work. Snagging and scoping works have also been carried out and a paint specialist engaged.
“This June we talked about the work programme,” said Cllr Karl Wilson (Labour and Co-op – West Marsh Ward), and had been reassured costings would be provided at the September meeting. “I’ve heard the mitigation, but it’s still disappointing when we’ve made a plan that that plan’s been extended yet again.”
“I await with anticipation when we actually get the public information that the public deserve on the costs and everything else, so we can have some transparency on all aspects of what’s happened.”
“We need to get it done,” said Cllr Trevor Crofts (Conservative – Immingham). “This council has been embarrassed by it.”
£1m extra allocated to Corporation Bridge
The £6.1m Local Transport Grant cash to North East Lincolnshire is being split between 12 different projects, with £1m for Corporation Bridge repairs. This £1m is in addition to the £5.1m original budget for the bridge’s repair. The £5.1m figure included £2.9m Department for Transport funding. Corporation Bridge repairs have also been allocated an unspecified amount of contingency funding, and recently £495,000 from Historic England.
Other projects getting a slice of the Local Transport Grant cash include £1m to A180 Alexandra Dock bridge repairs, £900,000 to the resurfacing of part of the A1173 Kings Road, and £500,000 to replace 300 hundred street lights.