Historic bridge reopens after flood works
Transporter Bridge is back open following essential flood defence work.
Tees Transporter Bridge
Teesside’s Transporter Bridge will reopen to traffic on Monday (27 July 2015) after vital flood defence work was carried out by the Environment Agency.
The bridge was closed to cars and other road vehicles to allow for road raising to take place as part of the Port Clarence flood alleviation scheme.
It remained open for pedestrians and cyclists throughout.
It was part of the Environment Agency’s £3million flood alleviation scheme designed to lessen the flood risk to around 350 homes and 32 businesses.
A 35-metre section of the road on the approach to the bridge, which was a flooding issue, was raised by around half a metre.
Other completed work on the Port Clarence scheme includes flood embankments to the east and west of the Wilton site.
Project Manager Chris Milburn said:
The road raising was a vital element of the overall scheme to reduce the risk of flooding to homes and businesses in Port Clarence.
We’ve completed that aspect of the work and the Transporter Bridge is now open. We worked hard to keep disruption to a minimum and would like to thank residents for their patience.
The Environment Agency began building defences at Port Clarence in March, with work expected to be complete in October.
The most recent impact of flooding in Port Clarence was seen in December 2013, when a tidal surge combined with high spring tides affected around 50 homes and businesses.
The £3million scheme is unusual in that it includes a section of removable defence along the River Tees so local business Wilton Engineering is still able to operate from the river.