Matthew Walker

Engineer, North Yorkshire Council

Matthew Walker is a civil engineer with specialist experience in historic bridges, geotechnical engineering and highway structures. Matthew is involved in the delivery of highway structure schemes, from technical design and construction drawings through to NEC4 contract administration, stakeholder coordination and site delivery. Notable project experience includes Fore Gill Bridge, an ICE award-winning reconstruction scheme recognised as an excellent example of heritage-sensitive engineering at pace

My Sessions at Day 1

Wednesday 10 March 2027

11:50

Fore Gill Bridge Rebuild: A Sustainable Approach to Renewing Ageing Rural Infrastructure

11:50 - 12:10

Fore Gill Bridge is a historic masonry highways structure on a critical rural route between Swaledale and Arkengarthdale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. On New Year’s Eve 2023, prolonged rainfall contributed to the collapse of an approach retaining wall, exposing several undocumented masonry arches that were nearing the end of their maintainable life.

This presentation explores how North Yorkshire Council Engineers responded to the failure and approached the sympathetic replacement of the ageing structure which involved the reconstruction of the traditional unreinforced masonry arch. The case study will examine why a masonry arch was selected over a modern alternative, and how this decision supported material reuse and preserved its historic character. It will also present wider lessons learned for asset owners managing the risks, costs, sustainability and stakeholder challenges associated with ageing infrastructure.

Speakers