Fore Gill Bridge, in the hamlet of Arkle Town in Arkengarthdale, partially collapsed on New Year’s Eve in 2023, following heavy rain from Storm Gerrit, exposing several large masonry arches hidden within the structure, making it inaccessible for motorists.
In early January 2024, North Yorkshire Council’s bridges team completed a temporary repair to stabilise the road and ensure it could remain open until permanent repairs could be carried out.
The structure was monitored while a temporary road was constructed to divert traffic, ensuring that communities in the Upper Dales were not left isolated during the rebuild.
Work to rebuild the bridge started in April this year, with the new structure comprising geosynthetic soil-reinforced walls and a new masonry arch, designed to accommodate a wider road with increased load-carrying capacity.
Stone from the original structure was reused, with a style in-keeping with traditional bridges in the Yorkshire Dales. Some 1,500 tonnes of the original stone was also used and incorporated back into the structure.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transport, Cllr Malcolm Taylor, said:
As the country’s largest county, we have a vast road network, 74 per cent of which is rural, and there are hundreds of historic bridges that need maintaining.
The repair scheme of Fore Gill Bridge is a great example of our staff and contractors pulling together to work quickly in acting to prevent a lengthy closure, and designing the repairs needed.
We have been fortunate this year with mild, dry weather, to be on site for long periods of time. It’s vital to secure the long-term future of this vital rural route.
Community involvement was a key priority throughout the works, with the council engaging with residents and working closely with local businesses to source materials and specialist tradespeople.
Ron Woolford and his wife, who live in the closest property to the bridge, have praised the efforts of engineers:
When the bridge fell, we thought an earthquake had happened during the night, and it was no surprise when we saw the scale of the damage.
I’ve been so impressed with the council’s staff and contractors who have kept me and other residents in the loop as to what is going on.
They have been hard workers doing what is a very difficult job, and I think the bridge looks better than the original.
They worked long days and there was no great disruption, particularly with the diversion in place. My wife has made the workers tea and cake, which they were very grateful for.
Fore Gill Bridge was originally constructed in about 1770 as part of the Reeth to Tan Hill turnpike and serves as a key link between Swaledale and Arkengarthdale.
The bridge’s reconstruction marks a milestone in preserving the legacy of the road while adapting it for modern use.
Cllr Yvonne Peacock, who represents the Upper Dales division on North Yorkshire Council, added:
The rural nature of the Yorkshire Dales means that we regularly experience extreme weather, testing all elements of our roads network.
There are several stone-built bridges in the area, many of which date back hundreds of years. The collapse at Fore Gill Bridge could have been very disruptive, but the effort of the bridges team deserves recognition.
The community was relieved the temporary road was built before the bridge was demolished, as it meant that the works could be completed without causing traffic disruption.
