Building Bridges

Leeds City Council is replacing the worn-out walkway attached to Otley Bridge. There may be different views on how it should do this, but we all want to see the best, long-term solution for Otley’s people.

Background

Eight hundred years ago, if you’d wanted to cross the River Wharfe near Otley, you’d have had to ford the river somewhere suitable, preferably with the aid of a horse. Hoping to improve communications between York and settlements south of the Wharfe, the Lord of the Manor of Otley, the Archbishop of York, provided funding for the construction of Otley Bridge, which was completed in 1228.

Widened in 1775-6 to cope with greater traffic, it nevertheless retained its original medieval structure and remains to this day the only such bridge over the River Wharfe. Its survival as a rare example of a medieval ribbed arch bridge is considered ‘remarkable’ by historians. It is also one of only two bridges which are protected as ‘Scheduled Monuments’ in Leeds City Council’s area, a designation which gives it even greater protection than Grade 1 Listed status.

The original, medieval facade faces downstream, towards Wharfemeadows and Tittybottle parks, while views from upstream show the 18th Century facade following the widening of the bridge.

The steel and concrete walkway was added to the side of the bridge in 1957 as a means of increasing capacity for motor traffic while continuing to allow pedestrians to cross the river. By 1998 the Council had assessed the walkway and realised it would need strengthening, but a further assessment in 2004 suggested even that would only increase its lifespan by 20 years. It is now, clearly, nearing the end of its useful life.

Options

After 70-odd years, a major intervention is needed. This has been obvious for some 20 years now, following the Council’s own assessments. The options available are:

1. Repairs to the existing walkway

2. Replacement of the walkway with a like-for-like structure

3. Remove the walkway and construct a separate pedestrian and cycle bridge

4. Remove the walkway and construct a separate road bridge

Leeds City Council has only considered the first two. Many in Otley would prefer one of the last two. Why?

Well, it’s the 21st Century now. Surely the time has come to correct the mistakes of the 1950s and restore the medieval bridge to its former glory, revealing its 800-year old history. The permanent removal of the walkway has been recommended many times by Leeds Council’s own departments and numerous reports it’s commissioned (for examples, see Notes 1 & 2). Furthermore, a separate bridge would keep pedestrians and cyclists away from motor traffic, improving health and encouraging alternative travel modes to car use. Option 4 additionally protects the ancient bridge from potential vehicle damage as only pedestrians, wheelers and cyclists would use it.

Leeds City Council has declared a Climate Emergency. It has Net Zero and Active Travel policies. On a major project such as this, it surely should abide by them.

What Leeds City Council says - and what we know

Leeds Council says Options 3 and 4 are not possible. It gives a number of reasons, listed on its project website (Note 3). But groups of Otley people, including Otley 2030, have made enquiries, including Freedom of Information requests, and found that Leeds Council’s arguments don’t stack up. For example:

• Leeds says: ‘a new footbridge [would have] to be built near the vicinity of Otley Bridge to avoid pedestrians using Otley Bridge as a crossing. This would conflict with heritage requirements for a sympathetic separation distance between new structures and scheduled monuments’ (Note 4)

What we know: There is no automatic conflict between the siting of a new bridge and heritage requirements. An email in September 2024 from Historic England (who set these requirements) told us they’d never been asked about the possibility of a new bridge. Leeds Council were assuming there’d be a conflict based on old conversations ‘in the mid 2000’s’. (Note 5)

• Leeds says: ‘As a new bridge would have to span the entire river without intermediate supports, to avoid increasing flood risk in the area, it would likely be constructed as a cable-stayed bridge. The size of this bridge and the associated ramps would dwarf the current footbridge and would dominate the surrounding area and overshadow Otley Bridge.’ (Note 6)

What we know: We asked the Environment Agency about the flood risk from a separate bridge, with or without supports. It told us it ’has not been consulted on an alternative new permanent bridge’ and, further, it ‘has not been provided with any proposals for this design so are unable to make an assessment of any flood risk implications associated with alternative options.’ We’ve spoken to an independent bridge engineer who has given us details of how a separate bridge can be built on supports with minimal flood risk, resulting in a much smaller bridge.

• Leeds says: Regarding the temporary bridge, and the consequent need to remove trees, ‘Installing several supports in the river could reduce the size and weight of the equipment needed to install the footbridge and possibly avoid the loss of the large mature oak tree. However, due to the high flood risk in the area, we are not able to install more than one temporary support pier in the river.’ (Note 7)

What we know: The Environment Agency told us that, while structures in the river should be ‘minimised’, ‘we have not received an application or been asked to provide advice on designs for multiple pile [support] locations’.

• Leeds says: ‘Engineers have spent over a year looking at potential options, and we have looked into the feasibility of all ideas sent to the council…’ Deputy Leader Jonathan Pryor (Note 8).

What we know: The Council have evidently not looked at all potential options sent to them. Countless individuals, groups and councillors have asked them to consider a separate bridge, but we have been told they have not even asked the relevant authorities such as the Environment Agency or Historic England about a separate bridge.

Has Leeds Council consulted the community?

Leeds Council continually refers to its consultation with the community over this. They claim to have held ‘public consultation’ sessions last Autumn in Otley Library (Note 9). They claim to have consulted local councillors. Well, many of us attended the library sessions and, rather than genuine consultation, we were simply told what the plans were - like-for-like walkway replacement, full stop. It was clear that no alternatives were to be considered. We have been in touch with local councillors who have also told us that Leeds City Council has not budged when asked to consider alternatives like a separate bridge.

What we’ve tried - and what Leeds Council have done

Alongside other groups, councillors and Otley residents, we’ve made our suggestions clear. To protect the ancient bridge and to make walking, wheeling and cycling across the river easier and more appealing, the Council should consider permanently removing the walkway and constructing a separate bridge.

We’ve lobbied councillors and our MP, spoken to council officers, contacted the press, sent letters to the local papers as well as publicising on social media.

Each time, Leeds City Council in its statements has simply said a separate bridge is not possible. They have never fully explained why and they have refused to have an open meeting with either councillors or community groups.

We’re not experts in this. But we have engaged with a professional bridge engineer who believes there are solutions, which have been successfully used elsewhere.

What we want to happen now

Otley’s population will increase as new homes are built, for example, the proposed East of Otley development. With most facilities being south of the river, but key locations (the hospital, secondary school) north of the river, there will be more and more movement across the river as time goes on. We must make provision for that future in a way that doesn’t rely on road transport. A high-quality pedestrian/cycle bridge is needed.

We realise it would cost more to build a separate bridge, and take longer. So we want the Council to make the minimum repairs necessary to make the walkway safe (their own Option 1, which would save money) and then take time to plan and seek funding for an alternative bridge which would meet Otley’s needs far into the future.

And we know money can be found for big projects like a bridge. For instance, West Yorkshire Combined Authority is funding a bridge near Steeton and Silsden station out of a £830m sustainable transport fund, a source of money which can only be spent on sustainable transport in the county and not on regular council services. The idea that a separate bridge simply ‘cannot be done’ is just not true.

Eight hundred years ago, they built a bridge to allow easier travel over the River Wharfe. In the 1950s, we didn’t know about climate change or the need to reduce car-dependency, nor evidently did we care about ancient history. We care about all of these now. So, come on Leeds Council - honour those 13th Century engineers and build Otley a bridge fit for the 21st Century!

Notes

1.    Leeds City Council ‘Otley Conservation Area Appraisal’ (2003) https://www.leeds.gov.uk/docs/otley%20a4%20new_lores.pdf

2.    Kathryn Sather & Associates ‘Otley Bridge Conservation Management Plan’ (2006) prepared for Leeds City Council. Draft copy at https://docslib.org/doc/2793274/otley-bridge-otley-leeds-conservation-management

3.    https://otleybridge.commonplace.is/ 

4.    Leeds City Council, FAQ 3 at https://otleybridge.commonplace.is/

5.    Leeds City council, FAQ 44 at https://otleybridge.commonplace.is/

6.    Leeds City Council, FAQ 3 at https://otleybridge.commonplace.is/

7.    Leeds City Council, FAQ 32 at https://otleybridge.commonplace.is/

8.    Wharfedale Observer, 23 January 2025, p.5

9.    Wharfedale Observer, 23 January 2025, p.5; Leeds City Council, FAQ 42 at https://otleybridge.commonplace.is/