A unilateral decision to close Selby swing bridge for a whole weekend was today greeted with fury and disbelief by councillors and shopkeepers.

District councillors said they had not been consulted about the closure of Selby's main entrance, and claimed it would be disastrous for town centre businesses, pubs and taxi drivers.

The former toll bridge, which forms part of the A19 trunk road, will be closed completely from 8pm on Friday, March 27, to 6am on Monday, March 30.

North Yorkshire County Council, which owns the bridge, said a full closure was the only option while they carried out essential decking repairs costing £70,000.

They had hoped to keep the bridge open, but health and safety regulations would not allow it.

County council spokesman Tony Webster said: "It would have been too dangerous. Men would have been working too close to passing traffic.

"A full closure is regretted, but unavoidable. The bridge work is now urgent and could not have been delayed any longer.

"The deck surfacing panels have deteriorated to the point where light vehicles and cyclists are at risk from the damaged surface."

District councillor Ron Humphrys retorted: "The county council has taken a unilateral decision to close Selby for a whole weekend without even bothering to consult the local authority.

"The town is heaving on Friday and Saturday nights, and we have a market on Saturday, and we haven't been given a chance to discuss any alternatives. I'm absolutely livid.

"After the chaos which ensued after the last closure of the A19, and the re-routing of A1 traffic through Selby, we were supposed to sit round a table and discuss things."

Coun Humphrys said a major trunk road being held together by a wooden bridge demonstrated the town's strong case for a by-pass. The county council has also earmarked the following weekend for possible closure if the job is not completed on time.

District councillor Stephanie Duckett said: "There is a county area highways committee meeting on Friday in Selby, and this work isn't even on the agenda.

"This closure will bring Selby to a standstill and clobber shops, pubs and taxi drivers once again."

Geoff Gordon, chairman of Selby Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said: "The lack of consultation is abysmal.

"Don't they realise that people have livings to make and need to be consulted - it's only common courtesy."

Mr Webster said county hall apologised if people had not been consulted, but the job had to be done before April, the end of the financial year, and time was not on their side.

It was not listed for the area highways committee because the agenda was prepared a month in advance. They had, however, consulted county councillor for the area, Kevin Aston.

Coun Aston fumed: "I wasn't told until Monday of this week when someone rang me from county hall to say a public notice was going in the local newspaper. It was already a fait accompli."

Traffic will be diverted along the A1041, A645, M62, A614, and A63 at Barlby.

Vehicles weighing less than 7.5 tonnes will have the option of diverting through Cawood.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.