Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council has set aside £6 million in its budget to replace the Treeton Lane bridge in Catcliffe, aimed at preventing future flooding disasters like the one caused by Storm Babet in October 2023.

RMBC plans to replace the existing bridge with one with a thinner bridge deck that will allow for a greater flow of water beneath it. This could improve flood defences, increasing protection from a 1 in 75-year flood event to a level greater than a 1 in 100-year event.

The estimated cost for this project is £6 million and it would take around three to five years to complete.

A report as part of the council’s budget proposals says that testing is needed to confirm the benefits and ensure that it doesn’t cause flooding further downstream. The council also plans to work with the Environment Agency and neighbouring areas to improve stormwater storage upstream, which could further help with flood prevention.