A BRIDGE over the River Aire in Bradford will be closed for five months as part of works to reduce flooding in Leeds.

Sections of the Grade II listed Apperley Lane Bridge will be taken apart and reconstructed as part of Leeds Council's Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme - which will begin next month.

And as part of this work, expected to last until Spring 2023, the bridge will be shut to traffic between April 2022 and September 2022.

The work will see a flood storage reservoir created on an area of rural land between Calverley, Horsforth and Rawdon, as well as banking and the “realignment of the River Aire."

The Calverley work would likely lead to an increased flood risk in Apperley Bridge, so would be needed to strengthen the bridge's parapets and arches to "withstand the pressure exerted by the increased flow of water."

A Leeds City Council spokesperson said: "The Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme Phase 2 is an incredibly important scheme for the resilience of the region. When it is complete it will offer flood protection for 1,048 homes and 474 businesses from similar events to the boxing day floods in 2015. It is made up of a combination of catchment-wide natural flood management and traditional engineering that stretches along the River Aire from Leeds Train Station to Apperley Bridge.

"We have been working closely with Bradford Council on the design of the proposals, the planning approval and implementation of the works in Apperley Bridge. The works will begin in January 2022 and are scheduled to be complete by April 2023.

"The work in Apperley Bridge will run alongside the River Aire as it flows through the village, from the area of Bottom Farm on Apperley Road up to Harrogate Road as well at Woodhouse Grove School. The work includes new flood walls and embankments, a pumping station and strengthening of Apperley Lane Bridge.

"Work on Apperley Lane Bridge will mean that the bridge is estimated to be closed between April and September 2022. There will be a diversion onto the nearby Harrogate Road Bridge (A658) during this time.

"New walls will also be constructed along lengths of Carr Beck where it meets the River Aire to make sure we do not increase flood risk in this area.

"Despite the scale of the project, the team have planned to keep disruption for the residents and businesses in the areas affected to an absolute minimum. Details on any necessary road closures or temporary traffic measures will be communicated to relevant landowners, residents, businesses and others through our engagement team within the appropriate timeframe."

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley) said: "I'm pleased to hear the work is beginning soon. We've been campaigning a long time for improvements in Apperley Bridge. I hope the work to the old bridge is done sensitively."

Although the work would help reduce flooding in the area, Cllr Sunderland said a wider concern was the issue of sewage flowing into the river. She said: "Regardless of this flood work, a lot of flooding is caused by overflow from the sewers. What we need is a review, in light of all the development taking place, of the local sewerage system and whether there is proper capacity to make sure the sewage doesn't discharge into the river."