Bridge blackspots
Page 43
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The Highways Agency, which is responsible for motorways and trunk roads in England, has surveyed all its 4,000 structures on these highways and a further 750 bridges still require work. However, only eight bridges on the network will not be able to carry 40-tonne lorries. These are: • the slip road carrying the B4008 onto the M5 at junction 12 where completion dates depend on possible further improvement to the M5; • the Golden Valley Interchange carrying the A40 over the M5 at junction 11. Work is due for completion in March; • Woodford East roundabout on the M11 at junction 4. There is a five-mile diversion on trunk roads and work is scheduled for completion in late 1999; • Cavendish Bridge on the AS on the Derbyshire/ Leicestershire border. There is a five-mile diversion on trunk roads and work is scheduled for com pletion by Spring 2000; • Whitehouse Bridge on the A120/Al2 which requires a 800yard diversion until March 1999; • Gravelly Hill interchange at junction 6 on the M6 which carries the link road from Salford Circus. This will require a threemile diversion until September 1999; • Carlton Bridge carrying the A1041 south of Selby in North Yorkshire. This requires a 10-mile diversion but work should be completed soon; and • Bidston Moss Bridge at junction 1 of the M53—this bridge will have a weight restriction on one carriageway until well into the summer although the bulk of the strengthening work is now complete.
There will also be trunk road diversions and weight restrictions on the Tamar Bridge in Plymouth until summer 2001 and the Crammond Bridge, which is a local authority structure in the centre of Edinburgh, has a 25tonne restriction imposed on it. Otherwise there are no restrictions on Scottish or Welsh motorways and trunk roads.