Work to inspect and repair Shropshire’s bridges

Shropshire Council is soon to start major maintenance work on four road bridges as part of an extensive ongoing programme of work to inspect and repair the county’s bridges, retaining walls and cattle grids.

As part of the council’s £2.5 million 2011/12 highway structures maintenance programme, work is to start within the next month (July-August 2011) at Platt Mill Bridge near Ruyton-XI-Towns, Daddlebrook Bridge in Alveley, Woodfield No 1 Bridge in Claverley, and Lower Longwood No 2 Bridge near Eaton Constantine.

The replacement of Bent and Pitcholds cattle grids near Lydham is also due to start at the same time.

As well as repair or replacement work, the annual maintenance programme also includes general bridge inspections.  All but the smallest of the council’s 1,004 highway bridges are inspected every other year by experienced bridge inspectors.  In 2010/11, 407 bridges are due to receive such an inspection.

Due to the height of some bridges or the nature of some of the obstacles crossed, eg deep water or railway lines, it isn’t possible to fully inspect some bridges at a general inspection. To ensure a thorough inspection of those bridges, divers or specialist access equipment are also used.

In September 2011, a total of 66 bridges are scheduled to receive a diving inspection and a pontoon is also due to be used to inspect the underside of 10 of the larger river bridges.

Councillor Simon Jones, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for transport, said:

“With more than 1,000 highways bridges in the Shropshire Council area it takes a lot of time, effort and money to ensure that these bridges are regularly inspected and, where needed, repaired.  This work is essential in order to ensure that our bridges remain in good order but, more importantly, that they are safe for people to cross.

“I am pleased that, despite the current financial climate, the council continues to be able to implement a comprehensive programme of bridge maintenance and inspection work.  When repairs are needed, work is carried out as quickly as possible, and every effort is made to avoid road closures, to minimise inconvenience to local people.”