NELC: 'We are determined to get Corporation Road Bridge project over line - and that's what we will do'

                                        

The historic Grimsby bridge - no  target date yet for its re-opening 

IS an end in sight to the long-running Corporation Road Bridge fiasco?

That's the hope of North East Lincolnshire Council portfolio holder Cllr Stewart Swinburn who said today: "We are determined to get this project over the line, and that is what we will do." 

The reason for the optimism?

An experienced contractor, Lancashire-based Taziker, has agreed to complete the repairs following NELC's sacking earlier this year of the previous contractor, the Hull-based Spencer Group.

In addition, Historic England has agreed to chip in with £495,000 to help towards the sky-rocketing costs.

It is not as much as the council would have liked, but every penny counts.

It is thought that Taziker may have been one of the companies that missed out to Spencer when the original contract was awarded.

With more than 50 years’ experience, it has  successfully completed repair and restoration work across the country - from a National Trust Grade B listed bridge in Scotland to the Grade I listed Royal Albert Bridge in Cornwall.

One of its most famous contracts was a major conservation project on the iconic 1779 Iron Bridge in Shropshire - the world’s first iron bridge.

It has not been revealed how much NELC is paying for Taziker's expertise and services, nor if there is a target date for completion.

Also unclear is whether NELC and Spencer are involved in litigation.