A STUDY into how best to repair Coniston Cold bridge - closed to two way traffic since August last year - is expected to be completed by the end of July.

The bridge which carries the A65 to the M6 and the Lake District, was badly damaged when a lorry demolished a long section of parapet.

Craven area committee was told by traffic engineer James Malcolm that they were looking at ground bearing capacity around the structure and at various options including new structural work.

The bridge has been functioning with one lane only operated by traffic lights since last August when the accident left a lorry hanging over the edge.

The bridge, built by famous 18th century Yorkshire bridge master John Carr, is on one of the major strategic trans-Pennine routes crucial to the economy.

Money for the project is expected to be met from the £90 million which has been earmarked by the Government to be spent in the north.

Following the major landslide at Kex Gill near Blubberhouses in January 2016 monitoring work was continuing to be carried which included measuring the ferocity of water movement on the hillside.

"The result is that there has been little or no movement which is good in the short to medium term," said Mr Malcolm.

The plan was eventually to build a new alignment of the A59 and talks were being held with the landlord and Natural England.