Major funding has been backed to strengthen a Dalton bridge 10 years after interim measures were put in place to protect it.

Kirklees Council will spend £400,000 on a full strengthening project for the bridge on Dalton Bank Road.

It comes a decade after the council introduced measures to protect the 1910 iron bridge after deterioration weakened its structural capacity.

Work will see the existing deck strengthened with a new corrugated steel underpass.

Clr Steve Hall, Cabinet member for highways, said: “There are four different options and this will mean the scheme for full strengthening of the bridge will cost £400,000.

“It will increase the capacity to 40 tonnes, lead to the removal of traffic lights and once finished it will mean a two way flow of traffic again.

“If we agree to the work the council can start in February and it can be completed in 12 weeks.”

Weak bridge on Dalton Bank Road, Colnebridge
Weak bridge on Dalton Bank Road, Colnebridge

Steel barriers, which have been in place since 2004, narrowed the lane and traffic lights, costing £5,000 per year, have controlled the two-way flow since.

The current, single-lane road will remain open to traffic in both directions during the majority of the works.

Access to the Calder Valley Greenway, which runs beneath the bridge, will be temporarily diverted during the works.

Dalton Bank Road has around 3,300 vehicles using it every day.

Cabinet members ruled out a full bridge reconstruction which would cost £1.2m; a partial reconstruction at £370k; or doing nothing, as Kirklees says no work will mean further deterioration and potential collapse of the bridge.

The project has the support of the three ward members, Clrs Peter McBride, Naheed Mather and Cliff Preest, saying that as most of the work will take place beneath the bridge it will have minimal impact on motorists and the local community.

Work is expected to take place mid-February 2015.