New year, new Gelderd footbridge construction on the Armley Gyratory

The removal of the Gelderd Road footbridge over the Armley Gyratory is to begin early in the new year. It is the second of three footbridges around the Gyratory which will be replaced with new footbridges with more accessible footways.

Gelderd Road footbridge is a single-span footbridge with a 24.9 metre beam and weighing around 75 tonnes. It will be removed by one of the world’s most powerful all terrain cranes and self-propelled modular transporter vehicle.

Leeds City Council are making a local first by aiming to remove and replace an existing footbridge, over a single weekend on 12 – 15 January 2024.

Built in the early 1970’s the footbridge along with Spence Lane will be replaced with a new footbridge to include accessible ramps to better meet the needs of non-motorised users and people with disabilities. All the new upgraded footbridges are designed to ensure they will need less maintenance work and inspection, over future decades.

Diversions

To complete the Gelderd Road bridge work, motorists are advised there will be a weekend partial closure, starting 8pm Friday 12 January, until 530am Monday 15 January. With the Armley Gyratory approach to A58 Wellington Road south east exit closed and Ingram Distributer south bound will be closed, re-opening again outside of these hours.

Further details about the works and any future partial weekend closures for Spence Lane, are on the project website www.leeds.gov.uk/ArmleyGyratory

For the Armley Gyratory footway for people walking or wheeling, there will be a diversion in place until spring 2024, while works take place on constructing the new bridges.

The work schedule and activity is weather dependant which could change or delay work taking place.

The current phase two Armley structure programme:

Spence Bridge (2a) Spring 2024 bridge construction completion.

Gelderd Bridge (2a) Spring 2024 – removal and construction over single-weekend.

Wellington Road Bridge (2b) removal and construction anticipated summer 2024

Previous removal of Spence Lane Bridge on 29 September 2023.

The Armley Gyratory highways phase one works are complete, the improvements plan to increase capacity on the Leeds inner ring road and M621 and reduce city centre through-traffic, following the closure of City Square last year.

Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for sustainable development and infrastructure, said:

“The next phases of bridges work represent transformative changes to the overhead footways for people walking and wheeling – making it easier to get across the gyratory, either going or away from the city centre. The works are also a bridge engineering challenge, as well as programme challenge to carry out, with the least disruption as possible. I’m excited to see that we are looking to remove and replace Gelderd bridge over one weekend, which would be an amazing achievement by the project team and contractors.

“Please plan ahead for the weekend of 12 January 2024 and follow the road diversions in place. We thank everyone for their ongoing patience while we continue to work hard to minimise disruption and thank those who have already changed the way they travel into and around the city centre.

“I look forward to seeing these new footway structures built and open by the summer next year.”

Diversion plans for motorists and footway users are found by searching ‘Plan ahead Leeds’ or visiting www.Leeds.gov.uk/ArmleyGyratory

Armley Gyratory Phase one

The Armley Gyratory highways phase one works are complete, with the widening of the central gyratory and entry island approaches, which links to creating additional lane capacity. Also constructed is the carriageway pavement/widening build-up, vehicle restraint system and underground drainage. There’s been recent installation of new traffic signals, street lighting and progress on landscaping which includes planting new trees.

Further bridges information

A key objective of the Armley Gyratory scheme is to provide improvements for pedestrians and cyclists, as well as enhancing accessibility, and replacing the existing footbridges over Gelderd Road and Spence Lane.

The footbridges on Gelderd Road and Spence Lane are both 50 years old and provide a narrow 1.8m wide footway. This presents challenges to all users due to lack of space and from the steep gradient of the access ramps. The new bridges will be constructed to the latest specifications, providing a wider bridge deck of four metres, which will significantly improve accessibility. The Armley Gyratory scheme plans to enhance the experience and safety of pedestrians and cyclists through the replacement of the existing Geldard Road footbridge,

Gelderd footbridge features a single-span box beam with a length of 24.9 metres and a narrow 1.8-metre-wide footway. Access is currently gained from the east via a public footpath. In addition to expanding the space for users to a four-metre-wide footway, the eastern access to the Gelderd Road footbridge is being widened to a three-metre shared-use footpath, including provision for rest areas further contributing to improved accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists. Both bridges are designed to require minimal maintenance over the next century.

The bridges will consist of prefabricated components that have been prepared off-site, which will allow them to be lifted in and installed on-site in a short space of time and will limit disruption at this busy junction.