A temporary 18-tonne weight limit in place at Cleveland Bridge in Bath will be extended for another year as the council continues to monitor the historic structure.
The 18-tonne weight limit has been in place on the Grade II listed bridge for 12 months following a recommendation for a staged approach to reopening.
When the bridge reopened to traffic, engineers installed a monitoring system which detects changes to the characteristic ‘fingerprint’ response of the structure and provides ongoing confidence that the bridge remains safe.
The temporary weight limit, which was due to expire on 15 November, has been extended for up to 12 months through a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) so monitoring can continue.
Councillor Manda Rigby, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “Safety continues to be our top priority with Cleveland Bridge. We secured £3.5 million from the Department for Transport and invested in extensive and complex repairs to the bridge. At the end of the works engineers installed a monitoring system and this will continue to capture data. Any change to the vehicle weight restriction will be based on this information.”
“We have an ANPR camera on the bridge for any vehicles breaching the weight restriction and the Police and Trading Standards have the powers to enforce the restriction. We have contacted all those who have infringed the weight limit, with warning notices for the first instance. The number of those drivers breaking the limit are recorded at 0.09% of traffic crossing the bridge.”
The bridge was closed to all traffic in 2021 after surveys identified that structural components of the bridge needed to be maintained, repaired or replaced, for it to continue to function safely.
The refurbishment works ensured the structural safety and integrity of the bridge and preserved the heritage value of this listed structure. This involved:
- Repairs to the truss and deck slabs (the foundation of the flat top of the carriageway)
- Repairs to hanging bars
- Repairs to the masonry abutments
- Repairs and repainting of the cast iron arches and parapets
- Waterproofing to prevent future weather damage
- Installing protective coating systems
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