Decision details

To submit an application to the Department for Transport (DfT) Structures Fund for grant funding of between £25 million and £50 million to support the replacement of the A19 Selby Toll Swing Bridge and mechanical and electrical refurbishment works to the A63 Ouse Swing Bridge and to authorise officers to finalise and submit the funding application on behalf of North Yorkshire Council.

To submit an application to the Department for Transport (DfT) Structures Fund for grant funding of £89.3 million supported by £3m match funding (it is proposed a Local Transport Grant (LTG) application is to be submitted for this funding) to support the replacement of the A19 Selby Toll Swing Bridge and mechanical and electrical refurbishment works to the A63 Ouse Swing Bridge and to authorise officers to finalise and submit the funding application on behalf of North Yorkshire Council.

The A19 Selby Toll Swing Bridge is approaching the end of its operational life and requires significant intervention to ensure its continued safe and reliable operation. The A63 Ouse Swing Bridge requires substantial mechanical, and electrical refurbishment works to restore its full functionality and address known operational issues.
The estimated cost of these works is substantially beyond the level that can reasonably be funded through the Council's existing structures maintenance and capital budgets. The DfT Structures Fund has been established specifically to support local authorities with major structures schemes that cannot be afforded through normal local funding arrangements.
Securing external funding would enable North Yorkshire Council to address the long-term needs of both structures, reduce future maintenance liabilities, improve network resilience, support economic activity in and around Selby, maintain river navigation, and minimise the risk of future restrictions, closures and unplanned emergency expenditure.

Option 1 – Do nothing and continue with current maintenance arrangements.
Rejected as this would allow the condition and operational performance of both structures to continue deteriorating, resulting in increasing maintenance costs, ongoing operational restrictions, increased risk of failure and the potential for future closures.
Option 2 – Fund the works entirely through North Yorkshire Council resources.
Rejected as the scale of investment required is significantly beyond what can be reasonably accommodated within existing Council structures maintenance and capital budgets without adversely affecting other highway infrastructure priorities across North Yorkshire.
Option 3 – Undertake limited or phased works using alternative funding sources and available Council budgets.
This option remains a potential fallback should the Council be unsuccessful in securing the full level of DfT funding requested. However, it was rejected as the preferred option because it would likely result in only partial intervention works, would not fully address the long-term requirements of both bridges, and would prolong the need for ongoing maintenance, operational restrictions and future investment.
Option 4 – Submit an application to the DfT Structures Fund for comprehensive replacement and refurbishment works.
Approved as the preferred option as it provides the best opportunity to secure substantial external funding to replace the A19 Selby Toll Swing Bridge and undertake major M