News Beat
Wolsingham Causeway Bridge further closure in 2026
The 19th-century Causeway Bridge in Wolsingham, the only crossing of the River Wear within the village, has been undergoing extensive repairs since May.
But new structural issues uncovered during recent work mean that more closures are now unavoidable, extending a project that has already caused months of frustration for many living and working nearby.
In an update issued on Wednesday (December 18), the council said its contractors had found “significant deterioration” in the concrete deck after removing the bridge surface.
According to the authority, additional repairs are now required, and these works must be allowed to properly cure before waterproofing can be applied.
While the bridge is still due to reopen on December 19 to both pedestrians and vehicles, with traffic controlled by three-way lights, the discovery means that a full closure of up to three weeks will be in place from January 5 to January 23, 2026.
The council said: “During the removal of the bridge surface, we have discovered significant deterioration in the concrete deck.
“As a result, additional work is needed to repair the concrete bridge deck and allow it to cure before applying the waterproofing.
“These extra works will impact our timeline.
“Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to ensure the bridge remains safe and secure for all road users.”
The latest announcement comes just weeks after residents voiced concern about a planned two-week pedestrian closure in December, with some facing a 20-mile detour simply to reach the village centre.
One 70-year-old resident, living on the northern side of the river, told The Northern Echo in November that she felt “cut off” and misled after initial assurances that pedestrian access would be maintained throughout the works.
The bridge, built in 1894, had been flagged by residents for structural problems as far back as a decade ago.
One local woman told the Echo she had reported issues around ten years earlier, but had not received a response until last year.
“Surely, if they fixed it when it needed doing, it wouldn’t be this big of a job,” she said.
