Large trucks ‘breaching bridge weight restriction’
Concerns have been raised after large lorries were spotted crossing a Bath bridge where a temporary weight restriction is in place.
Bath and North East Somerset Council issued in an 18-tonne weight restriction on Cleveland Bridge on February 3 so essential repairs to the Grade Ii-listed structure can go ahead later this year.
Alex Earle tweeted a photo that highlighted a “dangerous breach” of the temporary weight restriction.
He called on the council and Highways England to enforce the rules more stringently.
He tweeted: “Bath and North East Somerset Council and Highways England: Can you please let us know how the weight restriction on Cleveland Bridge is being enforced please?
“Is this not a dangerous breach? Thanks.”
Highways England replied that this fell under the jurisdiction of the council.
Bath and North East Somerset councillor, Manda Rigby, set up a petition calling for the weight restriction to become permanent.
More than 840 people had signed by this week.
She said the restriction was having a positive impact.
“I was quite surprised what an impact the temporary restriction has had already. The streets are far more free-flowing,” she said.
“The restriction was put in to protect the bridge. It would be wonderful to keep it permanent.
“The temporary restriction will be in place until the repairs on the bridge have been completed.
“The police go a couple of times a day to check if HGVS are going along the bridge. They do catch people going across.
“We have written to haulage firms and there are signs from the M4 and Warminster warning about this. But there are still a few who slip through.”
The council said surveys showed some structural parts of the bridge had come to the end of their life and the weight restriction was being introduced as a precautionary measure.
It has submitted a funding bid to the Government’s Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund to secure financial assistance for the significant programme of repairs, with the outcome of the bid expected shortly.
The council said repairs to the bridge would require one of the most significant road maintenance projects it had undertaken for many years.
Signed diversion routes, using designated roads suitable for large vehicles, are in place for through traffic while those vehicles needing to go into Bath city centre are being directed to the city from the west using the A4.
The diversion is adding eight miles to journeys for traffic heading to the south.
The bridge, originally constructed in 1826 for horse-drawn vehicles and pedestrians, now carries 17,000 vehicles a day, including more than 600 HGVS.
The council and Avon and Somerset Police have been contacted for comment about lorries using the bridge but had not responded as the Chronicle went to press.