Severn rebuild coming
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E ANNOUNCEMENT of plans for strengthening and repairing the al England-Wales Severn Bridge can be expected very shortly — ssibly within a week or so.
ix-Transport Secretary Tom ig was said to have the bridge ih on his list of priorities (he s local connections with the stol area) and a spokesman the Department of Transport Id that an announcement Duld soon be made, despite King's departure. He denied ims that the bridge was in a ngerous condition or that it is beyond feasible repair.
N structural survey was card out by consulting engineers nt and Neill, and the GovernHit has had the subsequent )ort since May. The report lists veral options for the necesy strengthening and repair )rk, costing up to £33.2m. The Department of Transport is confident that the work will carry the bridge into the next century and said that a second bridge is not being considered seriously at present.
Although 38 tonne vehicles are permitted to use the 17 year old Severn Bridge, there are lane restrictions at the peak hours of commercial vehicle use as a precaution against overloading.
It is Britain's busiest toll bridge crossing and carried 12m vehicles in 1980/81. But its toll income only marginally exceeds the operating costs and when debt/capital charges are included it is running at a substantial loss.