Crossley's Bridge update: Construction enters last full month

The bridge, a main arterial route linking Blackpool and Bispham, Cleveleys, and Fleetwood, has been closed since early November when the Illuminations ended.

This picture, taken on Wednesday evening, shows the main ‘hump’ of the bridge is now in place, giving motorists hope the bridge will be partially reopen by Easter.

It needed to be replaced because it was rotting, the council said, or face being shut altogether. The bridge is also being heightened so Network Rail, which has contributed a chunk of the £6.1m bill, can carry out electrification work.

The closure has seen queues on and around Devonshire Road during the morning and evening rush hours, with the ambulance service voicing concern of six- minute delays in emergencies.

The council’s head of highway and traffic management services, Will Britain, told nearby residents in December work on the bridge was going ‘very well’, and announced it should be partially reopen by Friday, April 7.

Storm Doris stopped work for a day, but a council spokesman yesterday said contractors had caught back up again.