Safety of Waterford bridges queried

Hit with heavy flooding in December, a Wexford bridge located at Wilton Bree collapsed while another at Kilcarbry in Enniscorthy saw severe damage.

At the January meeting of the Waterford Plenary Council, Metropolitan councillor Donal Barry sought information regarding surveys on the smaller bridges across Waterford.

“I’m asking this because of the heavy rain that we experienced over Christmas. In county Wexford, millions of euro worth of damages were caused to bridges and road,” Cllr Barry said.

He went on to ask when surveys on Waterford bridges were last carried out, and if it had been some time since the last surveys, asked that that they are carried out ‘as soon as possible’.

Cllr Barry also called for any preventative measures required to be put in place ‘so that we don’t experience the damage that they had in our neighbouring county if we experience that kind of weather in the future’.

Director of Roads, Water and Environment Fergus Galvin, responded to the councillor’s query stating that all Waterford Bridges are formally surveyed every three to five years.

Mr Galvin noted that more vulnerable bridges are also inspected on a regular basis.

“We have a programme every year of bridge remediation works. We get specific grant funding from the department for that purpose.

“Every year we carry out repair and upgrade works on eight to ten bridges across the county on an annual basis,” Mr Galvin said, adding that bridges that receive repairs and upgrades under bridge remediation works are chosen as they are prioritised as a result of surveys carried out.