List of crossings of the River Aire

This is a list of current bridges and other crossings of the River Aire and are listed from source downstream to the river's mouth.

Crossings

Source to Apperley Bridge

Crossing	Location	Type	Co-ordinates	Date opened	Notes
Hanlith Bridge	Kirkby Malham	Road bridge	54°02′46.7″N 2°09′16.2″W	18th century	[1]
Airton Bridge	Airton	Road bridge	54°01′43.9″N 2°08′53.8″W	19th century	[2]
Bell Busk Bridge	Bell Busk	Road bridge	54°00′12.6″N 2°08′45″W	18th century	[3]
Bell Busk Viaduct	Bell Busk	Railway bridge	54°00′01.1″N 2°08′51.2″W	1849[4]	Viaduct carrying the Leeds–Morecambe line[5]
Coniston Bridge	Coniston Cold	Road bridge	53°59′27.2″N 2°08′27.4″W	1763	Bridge carries A65 road[6]
Priest Holme Aqueduct	Gargrave	Canal aqueduct	53°58′48.5″N 2°07′36.4″W	1790	Aqueduct carrying Leeds and Liverpool Canal[7]
Priest Holme Bridge	Gargrave	Railway bridge	53°58′49.4″N 2°07′27.4″W	1849[4]	Carries Leeds–Morecambe railway line[5]
Stepping stones	Gargrave	pedestrians	53°58′58.1″N 2°06′29.3″W		Stepping stones in use when river is in low flow[8][9]
Gargrave Bridge	Gargrave	Road bridge	53°58′57.9″N 2°06′22.2″W	19th century	[10]
Niffany Viaduct	Skipton	Railway bridge	53°57′52.9″N 2°03′51.3″W	1849[4]	Carries Leeds–Morecambe railway line[11]
Inghey River Bridge	Skipton	Road bridge	53°57′41.4″N 2°03′39.4″W		Carries A59 road[12]
Inghey Bridge	Skipton	Pedestrians	53°57′39.7″N 2°03′38.1″W	1773[13]	Former A59 bridge made redundant to vehicular traffic when Skipton bypass was opened in the 1980s.[14]
Carleton Bridge	Carleton	Road bridge	53°56′48.9″N 2°01′36.1″W	1825–1827	Formerly main route south through the Aire Valley from Skipton[15]
Railway bridge	Snaygill, Skipton	Railway bridge	53°56′27.1″N 2°01′19.4″W		Carries Airedale Line[5]
Cononley Bridge	Cononley	Road bridge	53°55′01.8″N 2°00′31.0″W		[16]
Kildwick Bridge (A629)	Kildwick	Road bridge	53°54′26.8″N 1°59′08.0″W	August 1988	Carries the A629 Kildwick bypass[17]
Kildwick Bridge	Kildwick	Road bridge	53°54′26.9″N 1°59′04.2″W	1313[18]	Grade I listed bridge bypassed in August 1988 but still open to local traffic[19]
Silsden Bridge	Silsden	Road bridge	53°54′09.1″N 1°56′36.0″W	1790	Carries A6034 road[20][21]
Unnamed bridge	Utley	Road bridge	53°53′10.4″N 1°55′05.6″W		Carries road to golf club[21]
Stock Bridge	Stockbridge, Keighley	Road bridge	53°52′34.3″N 1°53′17.0″W	1930[22]	Road bridge carrying the B6265 (formerly carried the A650 road, bypassed in October 1988)[23][17]
Unnamed bridge	Crossflatts	Road bridge	53°52′34.3″N 1°53′17.0″W	October 1988[17]	Carries the A650 road[23]
Unnamed bridge	Crossflatts	Railway bridge	53°51′44.3″N 1°51′26.3″W		Carries the Airedale Line (includes two spans, one disused)[23]
Ireland Bridge	Bingley	Road bridge	53°51′46.1″N 1°51′25.7″W	1686	Carries the B6429 road between Bingley and Cullingworth.[24]
Unnamed bridge	Bingley	Footbridge	53°50′42.5″N 1°50′33.8″W		Footbridge in Myrtle Park[25][26]
Unnamed bridge	Bingley	Footbridge	53°50′36.7″N 1°50′21.9″W		Footbridge in Myrtle Park[25][26]
Cottingley Bridge	Cottingley	Road bridge	53°50′17.7″N 1°49′50.1″W		Formerly carried the A650 bridge (bypassed in 2003)[27] now carries B6265[25][28]
Unnamed bridge	Cottingley	Fresh water pipe	53°50′15.8″N 1°49′41.9″W	1899	Castellated bridge that acts as a siphon for the Nidd Aqueduct[29]
Cottingley Viaduct	Cottingley	Road bridge	53°50′07.5″N 1°49′07.3″W	December 2003[27]	Dual carriageway road (A650 bypass) across Aire Valley[30]
River Aire Viaduct	Dowley Gap	Railway bridge	53°50′18.8″N 1°48′42.3″W		Carries Airedale Line[31]
Dowley Gap Aqueduct (Seven Arches Aqueduct)	Dowley Gap	Canal aqueduct	53°50′25.1″N 1°48′56.9″W	1773[32]	Carries Leeds and Liverpool Canal[33]
Unnamed footbridge	Saltaire	Pedestrian footbridge	53°50′25.1″N 1°48′56.9″W		Links Saltaire with Roberts Park on the north bank of the river[34]
Otley Road Bridge	Shipley	Road Bridge	53°50′13.7″N 1°46′24.0″W		Carries A6038 road between Shipley and Guiseley[25]
Charlestown Viaduct	Baildon	Railway viaduct	53°50′32.8″N 1°45′43.2″W		Carries Wharfedale line[31]
Buck Mill Bridge	Thackley	Pedestrian bridge	53°50′55.0″N 1°44′40.5″W	1889	[35]
Esholt Bridges	Esholt	Sewer pipes	53°51′12.6″N 1°43′10.9″W		[36]
Apperley Viaducts	Apperley Bridge	Railway bridge	53°50′34.0″N 1°42′39.8″W	1867/1900	Carries Airedale Line on 1900 viaduct; 1867 viaduct still standing but unused[31][37][38]
The Bridge	Apperley Bridge	Road bridge	53°50′16.0″N 1°42′21.8″W		Carries minor road[39]
Unnamed bridge	Apperley Bridge	Road bridge	53°50′13.9″N 1°42′18.7″W		Carries A658 road[25]
Woodhouse Bridge	Apperley Bridge	Railway bridge	53°50′24.0″N 1°41′33.2″W		Carries both Airedale and Wharfedale lines[25]

Calverley to Knowsthorpe

Crossing	Location	Type	Co-ordinates	Date opened	Notes
Calverley Viaduct	Calverley	Railway bridge	53°49′55.9″N 1°40′12.4″W		Carries Airedale Line[31]
Calverley Bridge	Calverley Bridge	Pedestrian bridge	53°49′43.4″N 1°39′54.4″W	1775[40]	Former road bridge superseded by A6120 bridge just to the east
Unnamed bridge	Calverley Bridge	Road bridge	53°49′40.1″N 1°39′43.1″W		Carries A6120 Leeds Ring Road[25]
Unnamed bridge	Rodley	Road bridge	53°49′18.9″N 1°39′08.8″W		Carries traffic to and from Rodley Nature Reserve[41]
Unnamed bridge	Newlay	Railway bridge	53°49′36.7″N 1°38′21.9″W		Carries Airedale Line[31]
Newlay Bridge (Pollard Bridge)	Newlay	Pedestrian bridge	53°49′41.6″N 1°38′19.5″W	1819	Carries pedestrian traffic[42]
Unnamed bridge	Kirkstall Forge	Road bridge	53°49′41.6″N 1°38′19.5″W		Girder bridge part of the former Kirkstall Forge Engineering plant[25][43][44]
Unnamed bridge	Kirkstall Forge	Road bridge	53°49′41.6″N 1°38′19.5″W	2015	Carries traffic to and from Kirkstall Forge railway station only[25][45]
Unnamed bridge	Kirkstall Forge	Pedestrian bridge	53°49′27.3″N 1°37′24.5″W		Pedestrian bridge between buildings on the former Kirkstall Forge Engineering plant[46]
Kirkstall Forge Viaduct	Kirkstall Forge	Railway bridge	53°49′26.2″N 1°37′25.2″W		Carries Airedale Line[31]
Kirkstall Bridge	Kirkstall	Road bridge	53°48′56.9″N 1°36′25.5″W	1912	Carries B6157 road[47]
Kirkstall ford and weir	Kirkstall	Pedestrian crossing	53°48′56.9″N 1°36′25.5″W		Gritstone ford across to island between the river and millrace[48]
Gott's Bridge	Kirkstall Valley	Road bridge	53°48′23.9″N 1°35′15.6″W		Bridge built to enable millworkers to cross between Armley and Kirkstall. Latterly provided access to Kirkstall Power Station before closure.[49][50]
Buffalo Bill Bridge	Armley	Pedestrian bridge	53°48′12.4″N 1°34′59.4″W		Pedestrian access bridge to Armley Mills Industrial Museum,[51][52] routinely locked when the museum is closed.
Unnamed bridge	Burley	Rail and pipe bridge	53°48′10.2″N 1°34′50.0″W		Disused rail bridge that had carried railway exhibits to Armley Mills Industrial Museum[53][52] Partially demolished during Storm Franklin, 2022.[54]
Milford Place Bridge	Burley	Pedestrian bridge	53°48′09.1″N 1°34′47.3″W		[52]
Kirkstall Viaduct	Burley	Railway bridge	53°48′08.8″N 1°34′40.4″W	1849	Railway name is Kirkstall Viaduct (even though it is in Burley) as it goes over Kirkstall Road[note 1][55][56][57][58]
Viaduct Road Bridge	Burley	Road bridge	53°48′08.8″N 1°34′40.4″W
Wellington Bridge	Leeds	Road bridge	53°48′08.8″N 1°34′40.4″W	Original 1819	Carries A58 road[52]
Unnamed bridge	Leeds	Railway viaduct	53°47′40.0″N 1°33′32.5″W	1846	Disused viaduct to the former Leeds Central and Leeds Wellington (goods) railway stations[59]
Monk Bridge	Leeds	Road bridge	53°47′37.3″N 1°33′30.1″W	1886	Carries Whitehall Road[60]
Whitehall Riverside Bridge	Leeds	Pedestrian bridge	53°47′36.6″N 1°33′19.8″W	2007	[61]
Leeds railway station	Leeds	Railway bridge	53°47′39.8″N 1°32′56.2″W	1854/1869[62]	Carries the whole of the west end of Leeds railway station[63][64]
Waterman's Bridge	Leeds	Pedestrian bridge	53°47′36.4″N 1°32′53.5″W	2008	[52]
Victoria Bridge	Leeds	Road bridge	53°47′33.4″N 1°32′49.4″W	1839	Carries Neville Street[65][note 2]
David Oluwale Bridge	Leeds	Pedestrian and bike bridge		2023	Links Water Lane and Sovereign St
Leeds Bridge	Leeds	Road bridge	53°47′33.4″N 1°32′49.4″W	1873	Carries Bridge End road. The world's first moving images were shot of traffic on the bridge by Louis Le Prince in 1888[66][67]
Centenary Footbridge	Leeds	Pedestrian bridge	53°47′39.8″N 1°32′16.0″W	1993	Opened to commemorate 100 years of city status for Leeds[68]
Crown Point Bridge	Leeds	Road bridge	53°47′39.8″N 1°32′16.0″W	1842	Carries the A61 road[52][69]
Knight's Way Bridge	Leeds	Pedestrian bridge	53°47′33.4″N 1°31′59.7″W	2007	Opened to allow pedestrian traffic between Clarence Dock and Fearn's Island areas[70]
Climate Innovation District Bridge	Leeds	Pedestrian bridge		2019	Connects the two sites that comprise a new residential development
Richmond Bridge	Leeds	Road bridge	53°47′12.9″N 1°31′29.3″W		Carries A61 road[52][71]
Unnamed bridge	Thwaite Gate	Gas pipeline	53°46′45.0″N 1°30′51.7″W		Carries gas pipeline[72]
Skelton Grange Road Bridge	Thwaite Mills	Private road	53°46′32.5″N 1°29′55.7″W		Carries private road[73]

Stourton to river mouth

Crossing	Location	Type	Co-ordinates	Date opened	Notes
Aire Valley Viaduct	Stourton	Road bridge	53°45′58.6″N 1°28′54.7″W	1999	Carries extension of M1 motorway to A1(M) motorway at Hook Moor[74][75]
Unnamed bridge	Rothwell	Railway bridge (disused)	53°45′59.6″N 1°28′47.8″W		Carried former Skelton to Rothwell colliery line[76]
Skelton Bridge	Rothwell	Pedestrian bridge	53°45′59.2″N 1°28′37.8″W	2017	New path and cycleway to connect paths on either side of the river and canal[77]
Swillington Bridge	Swillington	Road bridge	53°45′36.0″N 1°26′10.3″W		Carries A642 road[52][78]
Unnamed bridge	Methley	Road bridge	53°44′55.1″N 1°25′21.3″W		Carries pathways and walking trails[52]
Shan House Bridge	Methley	Road bridge	53°44′30.4″N 1°24′46.4″W		Carries pathways and walking trails[52]
Pit Lane Footbridge	Methley	Road bridge	53°44′39.6″N 1°23′57.1″W		Carries pathways and walking trails[52]
Castleford Bridge (Millennium Bridge)	Castleford	Pedestrian bridge	53°44′39.6″N 1°23′57.1″W	2008	Bridge was opened as part of the town's regeneration and also filmed for Channel 4's Grand Designs programme[79][80][81][82]
Castleford Bridge	Castleford	Road bridge	53°43′42.3″N 1°20′58.7″W	1808	Carries the A656 road[52][83]
Unnamed bridge	Castleford	Road bridge	53°43′51.0″N 1°20′47.6″W		Carries path[52]
Unnamed bridge	Castleford	Road bridge	53°43′58.8″N 1°20′50.1″W		Carries road[52]
Castleford Viaduct	Castleford	Disused railway	53°44′10.3″N 1°20′23.6″W	1878[84]	Girder bridge that used to carry the Castleford–Garforth railway line; may re-open as a cycle and footpath[85][note 3]
Aire Bridge	Fairburn	Railway bridge	53°44′16.9″N 1°17′26.3″W		Carries railway line[52][86]
Lagentium Bridge	Brotherton	Road bridge	53°44′04.4″N 1°17′08.9″W	2006	Bridge carries A1(M)[87]
Unnamed bridge	Brotherton	Pipe bridge	53°43′36.1″N 1°16′40.4″W		Carries pipes
Brotherton Bridge	Brotherton	Railway bridge	53°43′24.8″N 1°16′15.8″W		Carries railway line[86][88][89]
Ferry Bridge	Ferrybridge	Pedestrian bridge	53°42′57.1″N 1°16′11.0″W	1804	Former road bridge[90]
Unnamed bridge	Ferrybridge	Road bridge	53°42′57.1″N 1°16′11.0″W		Carries A162 road[52]
Unnamed bridge	Willow Garth	Pipeline	53°42′37.0″N 1°13′27.2″W		Carries pipeline[91]
Beal Bridge	Beal	Road bridge	53°43′25.5″N 1°11′38.5″W		Carries local road[91]
Haddlesey Bridge	Chapel Haddlesey	Road bridge	53°43′42.8″N 1°07′25.8″W		Carries A19 road[91]
Temple Hirst Bridges	Temple Hirst	Railway bridges	53°42′56.2″N 1°05′21.2″W 53°42′56.5″N 1°05′20.2″W		Railway bridges carrying lines between Doncaster and York, and Doncaster and Selby[92]
Aire Bridge (River Aire Viaduct)	Gowdall	Railway bridge	53°42′15.2″N 1°03′30.9″W		Carries freight railway to Drax Power Station[86]
Carlton New Bridge	Snaith	Road bridge	53°41′51.0″N 1°01′36.9″W	1928	Carries A1041 road[93]
Newland Bridge	Newland	Road bridge	53°42′52.0″N 0°57′31.1″W	1991	Carries A645 road[94][95]

Gallery

• 
  Bridge over the Aire at Hanlith
• 
  Dowley Gap aqueduct
• 
  Pollard Bridge and Weir on River Aire, Newlay, Horsforth West Yorkshire
• 
  Ford across the River Aire, Kirkstall
• 
  Castleford-bridge

See also

• List of crossings of the River Calder

Notes

1. Bairstow in "Railways Through Airedale and Wharfedale" lists it as Burley Viaduct
2. From Victoria Bridge to Richmond Bridge, the River runs in conjunction with the Aire and Calder Navigation
3. From Castleford Viaduct to A162 road bridge, the River runs in conjunction with the Aire and Calder Navigation