Severn Bridge is not falling down

20th October 1978, Page 22

20th October 1978

Page 22

Page 22, 20th October 1978 — Severn Bridge is not falling down

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FURTHER damage to the Severn Bridge is not as serious as some commentators were suggesting last week.

The Transport and Road Research Laboratory is to examine one of at least 10 hanger cables which have begun to rust through the effect of salt air.

But Department of Transport officials are at pains to stress that the damage is relatively slight, the worst damage being to eight of the 178 strands of high tensile wire in a hanger cable.

The hanger will be removed, but a DTp spokesman told CM that the matter was "not being treated with desperate urgency".

Although none of Britain's suspension bridges has needed replacement hanger cables before, DTp believes the job can be done with little more disruption to traffic than will be caused by the rewelding of expansion joints (see CM last week).

At present, two lanes of the bridge have been closed to allow other repair work to be undertaken between now and Christmas.

Severn Bridge is not falling down

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