For the past four months children at Manutūkē have had to walk along the state highway to get to school after a swing bridge was damaged in a storm.

However, specialist repairs on the bridge are to be done soon.

Gisborne District Council Journeys operations manager Libby Young says work on the Te Arai swing bridge in Manutūkē will start in a couple of weeks.

“This swing bridge was damaged around four months ago during a November weather event after a tree came down on part of the bridge.

“This bridge is the only one like it in Tairāwhiti. It requires specialist materials to be ordered and is not a conventional footbridge repair.

“We’ve worked at pace to get this bridge open as we understand how important it is to the Manutūkē community.

“Within one month of the damage, there had been an engineer’s inspection, a design for the rebuild and contractor CR Taylor engaged.

“We’re really looking forward to work starting soon and have kept in regular contact with the community.”