Investigation finds 'no faults' with Whitby Swing Bridge

Engineers closed it on Monday night and was tested 18 times

Author: Karen LiuPublished 21st Oct 2021

An investigation has found no faults with Whitby Swing Bridge.

It was closed on Monday night so engineers could try and work out why it keeps breaking down.

The Swing Bridge is set to have its annual maintenance done soon with a full report on any future plans in December.

Joe Plant is a North Yorkshire County Councillor for Whitby Streonshalh and said:

"The maintenence and engineers attended the bridge and carried out an intensive check of the computers and sensors on the bridge and no faults were found. The bridge leads were reportedly swung 18 times and no issues were discovered and the bridge operated as it should have each time.

"The breakdowns haven't been showing up on the computer systems so they can operate it remotely. I think one breakdown was a limit switch which cost about £40 to replace, but the other breakdowns haven't been shown on the computer so they don't know what's going on and why it was breaking down basically.

"People have got different opinions but I'll listen to one of the most renowned bridge engineers in the country. We have to go by that and he's come back with this, with the facts, and that's how we are but there's nothing to say that we shouldn't be looking at replacing it in the future because it does cause a major problem in the town when it does break down.

"We want to know what's in place to replace what we've already got. It doesn't happen overnight if you replace that bridge, it's going to take months so we'd be out of a bridge for months on end and then it's about funding aswell."

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