I’ve now spoken to Yorkshire Water and Leeds City Council Highways to ascertain why Bridge St needs to close.

• This is an emergency and Yorkshire Water (YW) are legally able to close the road without any notification.
  • Advance warning signs are being placed this evening and overnight.
  • YW & LCC are using radio, social media to attempt the forewarn and forearm residents
• A main sewer has collapsed 3.5m down in the middle of Bridge St directly outside the Chip shop.
  • the broken sewer is at risk of flooding nearby homes and business’s with ‘foul water’.
  • because of the depth a large hole needs to be dug taking up most of the road. This stops any chance of traffic lights
• Work will start at 9:30 Wednesday morning and continue for probably 3 days. YW are unable to know at this time whether work will progress quicker or slower as this depends on what is found once the hole is dug up.
• The road and bridge will remain open to pedestrians in both directions.

The Diversions

• The diversion is for northbound traffic will be down Pool Rd and over the bridge and across from Farnley Hall
  • Manor St is not suitable for buses, lorries and large vehicles therefore the diversion is as above
  • Cattlemarket St is not suitable width wise and for safety reasons to ‘turn two way’.
• The route for southbound traffic will be a left turn at the chip shop and up North Parade
• Traffic from Westgate will be diverted through Pool
• Traffic from Leeds needing to cross the river should turn right at Dyneley Arms, down Pool Bank and over the bridge.

The Impact

• Clearly the town will be severely affected and chaos is likely.
• First buses have been notified and will, I am told, be using smaller buses
• Yorkshire Ambulance, the Police and Wharfedale Hospital are all aware and making contingency plans
• Letters are going home with students from PHGS today.