Whitby Swing Bridge fault saw people 'climbing over or rolling under' closed gates
Whitby Swing Bridge suffered a hydraulic failure over the weekend which saw it shut to both pedestrians and traffic.
It was widely reported on social media that the two sides of the 116-year-old bridge had not aligned properly and the fault cut the town in half on a busy Saturday morning.
One eyewitness described the scenes as “extraordinary” and said: “The bridge was closed and police signs saying the road was closed.
"People were literally climbing over or rolling under the closed gates in order to cross.”
North Yorkshire Council’s bridges manager, Philip Richardson, said: “A problem with the power supply caused the hydraulic system that operates Whitby Swing Bridge to overheat early on Saturday (March 7).
“For safety reasons, the system shut down and the bridge couldn’t be operated again until about 6pm.
“We’re sorry for the inconvenience this caused to pedestrians and drivers.
“We don’t believe the bridge has been damaged, and it is now working normally again.”