81 bridges repaired across Cumbria

Eamont Bridge Credit: ITV Border

The floods last winter caused almost £250million in damage across the UK, with the costs of flooding in Cumbria higher than anywhere else.

Over 100 bridges across Cumbria were damaged by Storm Desmond, a portion of them completely destroyed.

In the ten months since the storm, a total of 81 bridges across the county have been repaired and reopened through Cumbria County Council's Bridge Repair Programme.

A temporary bridge at Pooley Bridge opened in March 2016 Credit: ITV Border

It's estimated that the total cost of repairs to infrastructure across Cumbria over the next three years will be £120million.

A total of 12 bridges across the county are still closed and under repair:

  • Bell Bridge, Sebergham

  • Bell Bridge, Lonning

  • Rumbling Bridge, Abbeytown

  • Mill Beck Bridge, Applethwaite

  • Brundholme Wood Road, Keswick

  • Brougham Old Bridge

  • Sprint Bridge, Burnside

  • Hallbeck Bridge, Killington

  • Gowan Old, Staveley

  • Broad Head Bridge, Grayrigg

  • Wath Sutton, South Lakeland

Eden Bridge in December 2015 - repairs began on the structure on 3 October 2016 Credit: ITV Border

The Council's Winter Resilience programme will bring reinforced defensive measures to a further 18 bridges.

While these measures will not make the bridges immune to damage over the coming winter, it will help make them as resilient as possible.

Protection work is due to begin this week on the following bridges:

  • Temple Sowerby, Plumpton Hall

  • Roundthwaite

  • Augill

  • Silver Street Ford

  • Overwater

  • Nenthall

  • Millbeck Bridge

  • Cockermouth

  • Huck Bridge

  • Victoria Bridge

  • Millbeck Bridge

  • Middleton Bridge

  • Blackhorse Bridge

  • Crook o’Lune Bridge

  • Church beck bridge

  • School Martindale Bridge

  • Derwent (Gote) Bridge