Bid launched to replace 123-year-old road bridge

A 123-year-old road bridge near Boston could be replaced with a new crossing.

Lincolnshire County Council has applied for government funding to replace the Langrick bridge.

The single-lane iron structure was built in 1903 to replace a ferry service and carries the B1192 over the River Witham, connecting the village of Langrick Bridge to the south with Langrick to the north.

The council said the bridge had a number of problems, including its narrow width, restricted weight capacity, escalating maintenance costs and structural issues.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the local authority has been trying to replace the bridge since at least 2017 but has so far been unsuccessful in attracting funding.

It is now seeking nearly £25m from a Department for Transport infrastructure fund, and the council would contribute a further £1.5m.

If the funding is approved, a new three-span bridge would be built to the west of the current one.

A council report says that if the bid is unsuccessful, a maintenance scheme would try to extend the bridge's life.

However, the report adds that this "would not provide a long-term solution and current existing issues with the bridge would remain".

The bridge will "deteriorate further, leading to further restrictions and possibly full closure in the long term", it warns.

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