Work will start soon to repair the East cycleway Bridge at the Crook O’Lune which links Caton with the River Lune Millennium Park.

Preparation works will begin on Monday 18th March, with the main work to fully restore the listed structure taking place from Monday 8th April until late October 2013. The start date will allow the bridge to stay open during the Easter school holidays (29th March to 7th April).

The bridge was originally closed for safety reasons in March 2011 after an inspection unearthed problems, particularly with the timber beams underneath. It has since reopened with a temporary deck supported by scaffolding above the old timber deck.

A decision was taken by Lancashire County Council in January to carry out a full restoration which will see the timber decking replaced, ironwork repainted, and the masonry re-pointed.

The bridge near the Crook O’Lune picnic site and Millennium Park carries the River Lune Cycleway which is a popular route for cyclists, walkers and horse riders. The nearby toilets and cafe facilities will be open as normal while work takes place.

A diversion will redirect people over the Caton Lune Bridge on Low Road, where a temporary walkway will allow them to cross alongside the traffic.

Footpaths underneath the bridge were diverted at the end of last year as a safety precaution after a further inspection of the old wooden beams showed they had continued to deteriorate.