Calderale Council appointed CTS Bridges of Huddersfield to design, manufacture, deliver and install the 40m x 3m bridge.  The single span truss bridge is above the flood level and avoids reliance on any supports within the river channel making it far less vulnerable if there were to be a repeat of the 2015 floods.  Stone from the original Copley Bridge was used to enhance the approaches to the new crossing.

As CTS director Sally Preston explained "Along with meeting Calderdale Council's project requirements the main design challenge of this scheme was the difficult access into the site which prohibited delivery of a fully asembled bridge and restricted the crane size to carry out the final lift.  This influenced the design, resulting in the incorporation of removable elements such as the deck so that the weight could be minimised during the lift and then the bridge completed insitu".

The structure was brought into site in 3 sections and welded together on the bank in the weeks before the main lift.  To work within the capacity of the 350 tonne crane, CTS joiners only fitted the hardwood deck boards after the bridge had been dropped into its final position.

The installation over a weekend was organised with Calderdale Council and site contractor BAM Nuttall to minimise disruption to residents - many of whom turned out to watch thier new 'Wilson Bridge' reunite the two river banks once again.

CTS Bridges deliver design and build bridge projects for customers all over the UK and boast a portfolio of several thousand bridges of all shapes and styles since their formation in 1988.  Although they dont always work so close to home and the company's dedicated teams of structural engineers, steel fabricators, joiners and installation staff were all proud and delighted to be working on a local project.