16th March 2026

Esh Construction to remove and refurbish Weel Bridge in specialist off-site operation

Esh Construction has been appointed by East Riding of Yorkshire Council to deliver a £1m refurbishment of Weel Bridge, a 70‑year‑old aluminium bascule bridge spanning the River Hull between Beverley and the village of Weel.

The project, procured via YORhub’s YORcivil3 framework, will see the entire bridge structure removed, transported off site for specialist repair and refurbishment, and returned later this summer, extending the operational life of a vital piece of local infrastructure.

Built in 1953, Weel Bridge is an unusual structure within the UK bridge network. Constructed from aluminium and operating as a counterweighted bascule bridge, it provides a key crossing over a tidal stretch of the River Hull while allowing river traffic to pass beneath when it opens.

Steven Garrigan, Divisional Director at Esh Construction, said: “Weel Bridge is a distinctive structure, and the decision to fully remove an aluminium bascule bridge for off-site refurbishment reflects the complexity and unique nature of the engineering challenge. This approach allows us to undertake critical structural repairs and system upgrades in a controlled environment, improving quality, safety and long‑term resilience, while also preventing works above an important watercourse and ecosystem.”

Project inspections identified corrosion within sections of the aluminium structure, alongside deterioration of parapets, pedestrian provision and mechanical and electrical components critical to the bridge’s operation. While routine maintenance has been carried out in recent years, the scale and nature of the defects now require a more comprehensive intervention.

Works are due to commence in April, with East Riding of Yorkshire Council confirming that the route, which carries traffic over the River Hull, between Beverley and the village of Weel, will be temporarily closed from Monday, 13^th April, to facilitate the removal and refurbishment of the bridge, running until late July, when the bridge access will be restored.

Councillor Paul West, the council’s cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “We understand the closure of this route will cause issues for drivers and pedestrians, but I want to thank them in advance for bearing with us while we complete this essential work and reopen the bridge.

“Unfortunately, carrying out the work while the bridge remained in place would cause major safety problems for users and our workers, and untold disruption to traffic. So it’s unavoidable that we need to remove the bridge and carry out the work off-site. This means the improvements can be made more quickly, regardless of the weather, to a better standard, and we can get the bridge back in place and the route reopened as soon as we possibly can.”

Owing to Weel Bridge being located within a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and the tidal conditions of the river, undertaking extensive repairs in situ was considered high risk, with structural metal repairs, grit blasting and coatings over the River Hull being difficult to control and presenting environmental and programme challenges.

Esh Construction will work with specialist subcontractors Ekspan and Retroflo to transport the bridge to a factory setting. Starting in mid-April, the bridge will be unbolted and lifted using a 150 tonne crane before being transported as an abnormal load to Sheffield, where a 12-week repair programme of the bridge will be undertaken.

While the bridge is off site, Esh Construction will take advantage of the road closure to deliver associated civil engineering works to the highway approaches. The alignment of the western approach will be straightened to improve visibility and safety for vehicles accessing the bridge. Pedestrian provision will also be upgraded with the existing narrow footways being replaced with a widened, dedicated shared pedestrian and cyclist route on one side, bringing the crossing up to modern standards and improving safety.

Alongside the bridge works, Esh will refurbish and upgrade the bridge control house. Flood resilience measures are being introduced, including the relocation and protection of electrical equipment, installation of flood doors and waterproof finishes. Once the structure is returned and lifted back into position, final commissioning, testing and calibration of the lifting mechanism will take place, with short-term temporary closures required to validate operation before reopening.

Mr Garrigan added: “Drawing on our experience of delivering complex bridge refurbishment schemes, we’re combining specialist lifting operations, off-site repair techniques and targeted highway improvements to extend the life of this asset and improve safety for all users. It’s a highly collaborative project that demonstrates the benefits of thoughtful engineering and careful planning.”

Esh is currently refurbishing the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle and Drypool Bridge in Hull and has previously worked with East Riding of Yorkshire Council on Stamford Bridge and Bubwith Bridge restoration projects.

Weel Bridge is expected to be reopened later this summer.