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Norfolk completes 150th bridge
Page 14
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strengthening —40 more to go
NORFOLKCOUNTYCouncil has completed 130,000 worth of improvement work on the 150th bridge to need work since 44tonne vehicles were introduced onto the county's road network.
The bridge at Shotesham, near Poringland, could only hold vehicles weighing up to three tonnes before it was strengthened by engineers. Adrian Gunson, council cabinet member for planning and transportation, says it is important the county's rural communities are adequately serviced by freight vehicles, as well as buses and grillers.
"Bridges are a vital part of Norfolk's rural road network; the engineers have worked hard to make sure they are strong enough to cope with all the vehicles on our roads," he says.
Norfolk County Council says 150 of the 190 bridges identified as needing strengthening since the introduction of 44-tonne vehicles in 2000 have been improved. It has committed E1 .44m for eight more improvement schemes in 2006/07 and aims to complete the rest by 2011.