News: Acknowledgment of Rotherham’s flood-risk progress

Thanks to the removal of a historic bridge over the River Don, the risk of flooding in Rotherham town centre has been significantly reduced.

Now the original foundation stone from the Old Grafton (Don) Bridge abutment of 1876 has been reused as the plinth for a new history plaque, unveiled today for the Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Environment Cllr Gerald Smith and Yorkshire Regional Flood Defence Committee chairman Arthur Barker.

Cllr Gerald Smith said: "Of course, this historic plaque has a great deal of significance in terms of our recent history, more specifically, the floods which devastated the town centre and surrounding areas just a few years ago.

"The work that has taken place here will be incredibly important if flooding ever strikes again and we thank the RFDC for their support for the bridge removal. However, I'm certain that we all have our fingers crossed that it won't."

The Grade II listed structure over the Don, dating back to 1876 and closed to vehicles in 1998 due to corrosion, was craned out of the water on October 1 2009.

Its removal will reduce the high water levels by 45-67cm (18-26 inches) over the stretch between the old bridge and upstream to Tesco weir and beyond.

The decision to remove the bridge came as part of the Rotherham Renaissance Flood Alleviation Scheme, formed after the town was hit by heavy floods in 2000.

The bridge is gone, but around 80 per cent of its materials, including stone and cast-iron panels, have been re-used as riverbank steps and boundary fencing along the embankment in the reinstatement work completed in May 2010.

That is also part of the £14m first phase of the Flood Alleviation Scheme, aimed at reducing flood risk over a 3.5km (two-mile) stretch of the Don upstream of the bridge, opening up land for development.

The project is being carried out by a partnership of Rotherham Borough Council, the Environment Agency and Yorkshire Forward along with contractors Ringways.

With the Regional Flood Defence Committee's support, the council is also working on flood-risk defence plans around the Chantry Bridge area near the bus station.

Rotherham Renaissance website

Images: RMBC