1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184 
Upgrade for ageing Severn bridge
Page 8
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
LGVs MAY BE banned from the outside lanes of the old Severn Bridge from November.
Concerns have been raised over the bridge's safety after cables on similar bridges in the UK, most notably the Forth Bridge in Scotland, started to show signs of corrosion.
The Highways Agency (HA) claims that "very few" LGVs cross the bridge, so the effect on haulage operators would be minimal. It insists the bridge is still safe to use and motorists should not be concerned.
Since April five locations on the bridge have been under close scrutiny, with further inspections planned. About 23m has already been spent on safety tests by the HA and Severn Bridge Crossing, which operates both bridges over the river.
The I-1A says some corroded and snapped wires will have to be replaced, but not entire cables.
Preventive measures being proposed include a £25m dehumidifying system, which encases the cables in a rubber-type substance and pumps a stream of dry air around them.
The project is led by engineering consultancy Faber Maunsell and contractor Spencer.