RESIDENTS who have been calling for repairs to an historic bridge so it can reopen to traffic have won the support of their MP.

Dehenna Davison met residents of Whorlton and Wycliffe to discuss the future of Whorlton Bridge, on the River Tees, near Barnard Castle.

Durham County Council closed the suspension bridge to traffic last July, due to a failure of a structural element connecting the deck and suspension chains.

The authority says the bridge ‘must remain closed for the foreseeable future’ as it does not have the load carrying capacity for its current permitted use.

The old toll bridge opened in 1831 and is categorised as a scheduled monument by Historic England.

Despite modifications to strengthen it, weight restrictions have meant only one vehicle could to use it at a time and regular safety inspections are required.

Residents shared their concerns with Ms Davison, including the diversion through Ovington and Winston which adds around 6miles to the crossing, and the economic impact including on a local pub which has closed.

They also fear the bridge is ‘an accident waiting to happen’ for walkers and cyclists.

Ms Davison said: “It is right that the bridge is closed until it is safe for drivers to pass over. However, it should be of paramount importance repairs are conducted as soon as possible to ensure residents of both villages are able to quickly and conveniently visit each other.

“It was really insightful to hear from residents the issues the closure has caused and talk about what they would like to see moving forward. I hope to work closely with the local council on this issue to provide a positive result.

“I am also working with the Government to explore how we can best maintain our historic bridges.”

Brian Buckley, Durham County Council’s strategic highways manager, said: “We have received a draft copy of the report and the results indicate that the bridge does not have the load carrying capacity for its current permitted use.

“We will now review our options going forward, with the support of a number of experts, including our conservation team and Historic England.

“Until we have decided upon the most suitable course of action, we aren’t able to identify the extent of the repairs or determine a timescale for the proposed works.

“The bridge will therefore remain closed for the foreseeable future.”