Whitby left wailing as costly fault on bridge brings split

IT HAS remained a lifeline for more than a century in Whitby, allowing thousands of visitors and residents alike to travel between the two halves of the historic port every day.

But the town has been plunged into chaos after the landmark swing bridge in the heart of Whitby has been out of action following a mechanical failure on its gear box which left it stuck open. Traders on the east side of the town are now facing a costly wait while parts are ordered in at a time when they should be thriving on tens of thousands of tourists.

While visitors are able to wander through the streets on the western half of the resort, the opposite side of Whitby has been left isolated from the crowds, prompting fears that many businesses face closure unless the repairs are completed soon.

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Enterprising boat owners are charging visitors 1 to ferry them between the two sides of the port. Scarborough Council has organised a free shuttle bus which passes over the main bridge carrying the A171 to the south of the main town.

But traders have maintained that they have been left in the dark over when the bridge will re-open, with speculation rife that the repairs could take up to three months to complete.

Rob Green, who runs the award-winning Green's Restaurant and Bistro in Bridge Street with his wife, Emma, 38, has seen his takings plummet by up to 800 a day.

The restaurant, which employs 16 full-time and part-time staff, catered for 30 diners yesterday lunchtime – half the number who would normally have eaten there. Mr Green, 40, who has a five-year-old son, Alfie, and lives in Ruswarp, said: "The hardest thing is that nobody knows what is going on. I have tried calling the council, but it was an answerphone – the same with the harbour master.

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"There are so many rumours flying around, some people are saying it will be fixed within the next few days, while others are saying it could take three months." The bridge broke on Wednesday lunchtime, and the problems could not have come at a worse time. Many businesses struggled through the worst winter for more than 30 years and were counting on a bumper high season, only for the bridge to stop working two days before schools broke up for the summer holidays.

Bill Rae, 48, who runs the Black Horse and The Fleece pubs in Church Street with his wife, Sue, 31, revealed his turnover has slumped by 3,000 since the bridge's failure. Mr Rae, a former fish merchant who moved to Whitby in 1986, only bought The Fleece six weeks ago. "You suddenly realise how reliant you are on the bridge, and in many ways people take it for granted. We all just about managed to survive the winter although trade was down so much, and we have been hoping that we can recoup some money during the summer season.

"For this to happen is going to leave many people wondering if they will be able to carry on with their businesses."

Retired journalist and author Maggie Hall, 69, who has owned a home in Whitby for 40 years and lives with her husband, Gary, said: "There appears to be a total lack of emergency planning. Rumours are rife, and the council has been very slow to get any information out.

"It really has left the town cut down the middle."

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Scarborough Council leader Tom Fox said: "We are doing all we can to get the bridge working again, but the problem is that bespoke parts are having to be ordered. Just because there are no actual repairs being carried out doesn't mean there isn't a lot of work going on behind the scenes to fix things."

The problems came only eight months after an upgrade on the bridge's electrical and hydraulic components was completed.

The council manages the bridge on behalf of the highways authority, North Yorkshire County Council.

100-YEAR-OLD

Whitby's swing bridge has become one of the quirkier tourist attractions in the port.

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When it is operational, crowds gather to watch as the structure parts to allow vessels in and out of the historic harbour.

There has been a crossing point across the River Esk at the site of Whitby's swing bridge since 1351, when Edward III granted his bailiffs authority to collect tolls to maintain a bridge.

The first swing bridge was built in 1835 and lasted until 1908. Unfortunately, by then its 45ft clearance was causing problems for the ever larger steel ships being built up river.

The present structure was commissioned by Whitby Urban Council in 1906 to carry an A road across the Esk and also make the navigation wider. Two leaves of the bridge are powered by electric motors, controlled by bridgemen stationed on the structure itself.

Celebrations were held last year to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the opening.