North East Lincolnshire council leader details ‘project risk’ to Corporation Bridge schedule

The new leader of North East Lincolnshire Council has highlighted a project risk that may cause a delay to the completion of Corporation Road Bridge works. The bridge has been closed to motorists since February 2023.

Refurbishment works were originally due to be completed by December that year, but it was found the bridge was in a worse condition than thought. In May 2025, the then-Conservative council administration parted ways with the original main contractor, citing “unacceptable delays”. Since Autumn 2025, bridge restoration specialists Taziker have led the works.

The latest estimated reopening date is December 2026, after councillors ruled out a phased one-lane only reopening, which would have cost more and led to an even longer wait for a full reopening. It was heard by councillors at that meeting that the December 2026 date included leeway for possible delays, and updates since then have indicated the works were on schedule.

However, new council leader Cllr Oliver Freeston (Reform UK – Croft Baker Ward) has issued an update in a video on social media, detailing a risk to the project’s schedule he was informed about in his first week as leader. He has stressed there is no confirmed delay, but he wanted to be transparent.

“Basically, the issue is engineering approvals haven’t been keeping up with work on site, so that could cause the further delay. Officers and the contractor, though, are doing everything they can to recover any future programme delay.”

He states the council became aware of it in April, when election purdah rules applied. By this point, most council meetings were also not taking place due to the elections.

Cllr Freeston states in the video more will be known next month about whether the risk can be mitigated. “Things are in place to mitigate the delay and ensure the December opening, but I’ll update you again at the end of July when we’ve got a clearer date. To reassure everybody, this is not a confirmed delay.”

“Some might not have bothered mentioning this until we know for certain, but I promised transparency and that’s exactly what you’re getting,” he states later in the video. “The project manager told me they are confident they will make up lost time, subject to favourable weather conditions.”

He notes Taziker is incentivised to finish on time, extra engineering support has been brought in, and ABP are assisting with lowering water levels and improving tide forecasting. On the positive side, he states: “Independent experts have confirmed the quality of the work and progress is being made on the most critical areas.”

Update on Corporation Bridge works cost

Cllr Freeston also details in the video the latest expected cost of the works. “On the cost, it started at just over £5m and is now around £10.5m, largely because the bridge was in a lot worse condition than expected.”

Last Autumn, it was revealed there had been placed a £12m cap on the project’s cost as the bridge’s far worse condition was discovered. This was temporarily lifted so the contract could be agreed with Taziker, with the expectation the eventual final cost would be below £12m.

The new council leader does not mince his words in the video about the project’s delays so far. “It’s been a real embarrassment for our town,” he states.

“Since becoming leader, I’ve made this a priority,” he said, stating he had reviewed the situation with officers and taken independent advice so he could give a much clearer picture. The council has for some time employed Pell Frischmann to give independent advice on the scheme.

Cllr Freeston adds in the social media video that he and the transport portfolio holder, Cllr Paul Batson (Reform UK – South), will regularly visit the site, and the council’s cabinet is taking “a proactive approach in holding everybody to account”. Their Conservative predecessors as council leader and transport portfolio holder, Cllr Philip Jackson (Waltham) and then-Cllr Stewart Swinburn, also used to have regular meetings on the bridge works with council officers.