A NEW bridge for pedestrians is set to be built over one of the narrowest crossings on the east coast after concerns it is becoming an accident black spot.

The bridge at East Row Beck at Sandsend, near Whitby, has taken traffic over the stream which is only a few metres from the sea, for more than a century.

But the limited width has led to a series of crashes including one when a pedestrian was seriously injured after a HGV veered off the carriageway in 2014. There have also been three other accidents around the same area in previous years.

Now North Yorkshire County council’s highways are planning to build a new bridge over the site to keep pedestrians safe.

Planning officer Chris Fish said: “North Yorkshire County Council's highways department has a duty to provide a safe and efficient road network which includes river crossings and bridges and they must take pedestrian use into account as part of this duty.

"It is under this duty of care that the options for providing an alternative footbridge were proposed."

The proposed bridge is oriented on a northwest/southeast alignment at the head of the main tidal reach and will be the lowest crossing point of East Row Beck before it flows to the sea.

It is positioned close to the existing crossing - which will be retained unaltered for vehicles crossing for the beck but will have the footpath re-laid with cobbles to deter pedestrians, with the new bridge taking all

pedestrians away from the traffic flow.

Planning permission has been granted for the bridge but no details have yet been released on when it is due to be built.