40-tonne bridge report released
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• The long-awaited European Commission report on the state of bridges in Ireland and the UK — upon which both countries are currently claiming derogation from 40 tonnes GCW — has now been published.
According to the report all bridges built after 1961 in the UK and Ireland — some 10% of all bridges in the two countries — are already strong enough to take 40 tonners.
A further 10% of the total bridge stock in the UK, and 12% in Ireland (mainly those built after 1922 with spans above 20m) are also considered strong enough.
Most other bridges, however, will have to be assessed, according to the report, which says that in a limited sample survey carried out on the remaining bridges in Ireland — some 84% of the total stock — over 30% would not be strong enough to take 40-tonne trucks.
The commission says a classification of bridges is now urgently needed and should be followed by a submission by the UK and Ireland of a strategic plan for bridge assessment and strengthening work to be completed by mid-1987.