An Important Memorandum on
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WEAK BRIDGES
The British Road Federation Sends a Deputation to the Minister of Transport, Pointing Out the Gravity of the Situation
AN important memorandum on the subject of weak bridges in connection with Section 30 of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, was submitted to the Minister of Transport on Monday afternoon by a deputation organized by the British Road Federation. Thirty-six national organizations of trade and industry were represented.
The memorandum first drew attention to the conference held at the Ministry, in November to discuss the procedure to be adopted when Section 80 of the Act is brought into operation.
The Minister at that time expressed the wish that the restriction necessary to protect weak bridges should cause a minimum of inconvenience. He suggested that the best method of securing this object would he by conferences between the bridge authorities and operators of heavy vehicles, to discuss 'which bridges, in order of priority require strengthening or reconstruction to maintain adequate communications by road, and how far the use oi weak bridges can be avoided by alternative routes. . As a result, such conferences have been held by 32 municipalities. Two more are being held to-day, and a further five this month.
It has become apparent, continued the memorandum, that the rights of the public are involved in a number of ways. The restrictions would stop many coach and bus services, and general commercial and agricultural transport would be hindered alarmingly. It is clear that whatever is decided now will form the basis of a financial programme extending over a number of years. The decision must therefore be made with great caution. It is impossible to tell which of a number of bridges are the most important until the weights to which their owners propose to limit them are known. This information is not yet available. The conferences are taking the view that Section 30 should not be brought into operation until the highway authorities can inform the Minister that they have obtained detailed information from the bridge authorities as to the weight which each bridge can carry and until they have been able to decide on a priority scheme.
Factors Emerging from Bridge Conferences.
, The memorandum pointed out that, as a 'result of other conferences, certain material factors have emerged, viz.:—
That the work cannot be satisfactorily dealt with until the lists of bridges are complete as regards (1) unclassified roads within the category decided upon at the conference at the Ministry, on which there are ordinary stage services of double-deck buses; (2) the actual-weight restrictions to be placed on the bridges. Without a complete list of bridges, alternative routes may be selected and be found to contain one or more bridges proposed to be restricted. The question of priority as to strengthening, etc., must largely depend upon the proposed weight restrictions ; for instance, with two bridges on the same road, the one with the lower proposed restriction must, as a rule, take priority. One might also haVe a bridge which was not necessarily traversed by very heavy vehicles, so that a limitation of 12 tons could then carry all the
required traffic. If, however, the limit was 5 tons, as is proposed in many cases, it would exclude a large proportion of ordinary traffic, including public-service vehicles, and its strengthening would be of greater importance than in the former case. At a number of conferences it was considered expedient to appoint a sub-conamittets to consider the lists in detail before submitting a report. Notwithstanding the statement to the Minister that the railway and canal companies are willing to supply more detailed information regarding bridges, the railway representatives have, in a number of instances, expressed their inability to supply such information. With regard to an alternative route, this may not be of any great inconvenience to a goods vehicle if the additional mileage is not material, but with a bus service an alternative route is generally completely unsuitable, as it misses the population making use of its service. Whole villages and communities may find themselves cut off from the surrounding towns and deprived of their only means fat transport, for the majority of villages and many residential areas served by buses are not touched by the railways. The slower the vehicle the more inconvenient is an alternative route
Excessive Weight Limits to Cause Great Hardship.
The weight limits proposed for many bridges will render it impossible to operate, in many parts of the country, threshing engines, road rollers, steam ploughs and any cable tackle. At present, cable tackle is the only type suitable for cleaning out reservoirs for town water supply—an important point when half the country is deficient in water. Many industries connected with road-making, quarry plant, etc., will be gravely jeopardized, as such plant will be debarred from moving in the course Of its normal work The maximum limit of 12 tons proposed will prevent, in many parts of the country, the operation of steam vehicles, of which many four-wheelers, are permitted a legal laden weight of it' tons.
If Section 30 be brought into operation before full information be obtained, one object of the Minister, which is to minimize the number of appeals against restrictions, will be frustrated.
The memorandum then referred to the report of the Royal Commission-on Transport, which recommended the formulatiog of a special programme in regard to the strengthening of weak bridges, and a programme which would provide for the work to be done at the rate of not less than 1,000 bridges per year, also that private ownership of all bridges carrying public highways should be abolished. Roadtransport interests would welcome an assurance that these recommendations are to be carried into effect without delay.
Finally, the memorandum recommended that the Minister should postpone the operation of Section 30 unless the bridge authorities will undertake not to give notice of their intention to: place a restriction on any bridge until the county conferences have considered the weight restriction which the authority suggests and definite proposals for rebuilding or improving bridges, the approximate estimate of the cost, and the contribution which the bridge authority will make. It was suggested that the Minister should adopt the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Transport, and that, irrespective ok the coming into force of Section 30, the Minister should, without delay, announce his provisional programme for bridge strengthening and reconstruction during the ensuing year, specifying either the bridges to he included or the amount which he is prepared to allocate th each county.