A second temporary bridge was opened to North Yorkshire traffic today after the original 18th Century crossing had been partly swept away in floods a year ago.

A debate is raging over the future of the old structure, which crosses Creet's Beck on the main Ripon to Kirkby Malzeard road, near Kirkby village.

For some time, residents in Kirkby had faced a long detour until North Yorkshire County Council hired a temporary bridge which was built, hump-backed style, directly above the damaged structure.

But English Heritage became involved in a planning wrangle about calls for widening the historic bridge.

Hiring the temporary structure has cost the council £50,000. That bridge is being dismantled and a second temporary bridge, owned by the county council, is replacing it, just south of the damaged crossing.

Pressure is building from the community for the old bridge, a Grade II-listed structure, to be widened as soon as possible and county councillors will discuss the options at a meeting in Kettlesing, on Thursday.

The new temporary bridge, which carries no hiring fees, has cost about £20,000, but there will still be traffic-light controlled single lane movement across it.

Following a recent public meeting at Kirkby Malzeard, a large majority voted for the old bridge to be widened.

But North Yorkshire County Council had put on hold a planning application to widen the historic crossing following objections from English Heritage and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings.