A bridge which was severely damaged by the worst storm to hit the borough of Bury for decades is to be replaced.

Milltown Street bridge in Radcliffe, over the River Irwell, was all but swept away by Storm Eva, which brought mass flooding and damage on Boxing Day 2015.

The storm was the worst to strike Greater Manchester in living memory and caused unprecedented flooding which forced the evacuation of 800 homes, particularly in Radcliffe and Redvales.

Some 3,200 households were without power, and many people could not return to their homes for many months afterwards. Storm Eva also led to £40 million of flood defences being built along the rivers.

Now, the £3.2 million project is being paid for through the Greater Manchester Mayor’s City Region Sustainable Transport Fund to build a new bridge for walkers and cyclists.

The bridge crosses the River Irwell linking Rectory Lane and Milltown Street and will be higher than the original bridge for flood defence reasons. It will also reconnect an existing public right of way across the river and provide a north-south cycle link through the east of the town.

Councillors are due to approve the plans at the cabinet meeting taking place on Wednesday (December 4th).

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Councillor Alan Quinn, cabinet member for the environment, climate change and operations, said: “No one who lived here at the time will ever forget Storm Eva, and the devastation it brought to our borough, particularly Radcliffe.

“The new bridge will be a welcome addition to the ongoing regeneration of the town centre. It will connect housing and businesses south of the river with existing and proposed housing, as well as schools and businesses, north of the river, supporting economic regeneration.

(Image: Bury Council)

“The new bridge will be manufactured in the UK, as I’m determined to place as many orders as I can with British companies. It’s only right that taxpayers’ money is used to generate British jobs and it’s part of the council’s social value policy.

“The north bank of the River Irwell is the subject of a large housing-led regeneration scheme to create up to 400 much-needed homes on East Lancashire Paper Mill development site. The bridge offers a route from the south bank to Radcliffe Metrolink stop and the new high school, via a proposed new crossing on Church Street West and a new Metrolink ramp.”

Storm Eva was one of 5 winter storms that hit the UK in the winter of 2015, starting with Abbie and followed by Barny, Chloe and Desmond.

Since then, Radcliffe has been hit by further storms with more flooding caused by Storm Ciara in 2020. When Storm Christoph hit in 2021 Radcliffe was fully protected as most of the defences had been constructed.

Cllr Quinn added: “Climate change is now fact, and the recent storms are testament to that.

“We must do what we can to do our bit, and cut our carbon emissions to combat climate change.”

Got a story? Email me at Leah.Collins@newsquest.co.uk