Road closure needed in Burnley centre for repairs to historic aqueduct
Drivers are being asked to plan their journeys around the closure of a busy road in the centre of Burnley which is coming up soon.
Yorkshire Street is due to be closed for around 6 weeks from Monday 5 June for essential maintenance to the aqueduct which carries the Leeds and Liverpool canal over the road.
The aqueduct is known locally as 'the culvert' even though it isn't one, and forms part of the Straight Mile, one of the wonders of the British canal system.
The work to the bridge is needed to make sure it retains its strength and prolong its life by preventing corrosion. It involves grit blasting and painting the underside of the bridge, as well as some concrete repairs.
Diversion routes for all vehicles will be signed on the approaches to Yorkshire Street, however pedestrians will be able to pass below the bridge as normal. The road will be closed either side of the bridge, with access for properties and businesses on Yorkshire Street available from the Harry Potts Way end.
The maintenance is not part of the Town2Turf scheme currently taking place in the area but has been timed to take place at the same time to avoid further disruption and ensure that all work to the aqueduct is completed before the start of the new football season.
County Councillor Rupert Swarbrick, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "Carrying out repairs and maintenance to a structure as big as Yorkshire Street Aqueduct in such a busy area will always involve some level of disruption, and I'm grateful for people's patience while we do this vital work.
"We've done what we can to minimise the inconvenience to people's journeys by working with Burnley Council to coordinate the timing alongside the Town 2 Turf scheme, in order to limit the length of time we're impacting this part of the town centre.
"It also means that the aqueduct will be in keeping with the improvements to the surrounding area once the Town 2 Turf work has been completed, ensuring this part of Burnley will look really smart, well-kept and welcoming."
The diversion for vehicles which will be in place at all times during the work will be via Church Street, Colne Road, Eastern Avenue and Belvedere Road, and vice versa.
Notes to editors
Main images shows Yorkshire Street aqueduct in May 2023. If using attached historic image, please credit Lancashire Archives and Local Studies. Photo taken in 1926 shows the construction of the new aqueduct (replacing an earlier structure) and the laying of tram lines on Yorkshire Street. In the distance one can see the old Yorkshire Hotel, which has since been demolished.