This is the only bridge in Wigan unsuitable for HGVs, study finds

Wigan is home to one substandard bridge that is unable to carry the heaviest vehicles on our roads, new figures show.
Mill Lane BridgeMill Lane Bridge
Mill Lane Bridge

That’s according to an analysis by motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, which has revealed more than 3,000 council-owned bridges across Britain have been damaged, deteriorated, or are otherwise in need of repair.

The organisation says authorities desperately need more money to ensure the road infrastructure remains operational – especially in the face of more frequent extreme weather events.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Of the 115 bridges owned by the local authority in Wigan, one is not up to scratch.

And the local authority was keen to point out that this one structure - on Mill Lane in Aspull - is perfectly safe for cars and that the road in question is a cul-de-sac with only three homes on the far side of it.

Some roads may be substandard because they were built to earlier design standards, while others may have deteriorated through age and use.

The council says it does not intend to bring any of its bridges back to full carrying capacity within the next five years.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Across Britain, 3,061 bridges were found wanting, although this has fallen by 4.2 per cent compared to a year ago.

Many of these structures are subject to weight restrictions, while others are under programmes of increased monitoring or even managed decline.

The analysis is based on figures provided by 203 of the country’s 210 local highway authorities, which manage 71,505 bridges between them.

It was carried out in partnership with Adept, a group representing local authority bosses responsible for transport and other sectors.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding described the conditions of road bridges as a “canary-in-a-coal-mine indicator for the health of the highway network as a whole”.

He said: “While our survey shows a marginal year-on-year improvement, it still reveals that, while the number of structures highway authorities expect to bring up to standard in the next five years is in the hundreds, the number they’d like to restore to manage traffic demand is in the thousands.

“And, as recent storms have demonstrated, our road infrastructure – including bridges – is under attack not just from the ever-growing volume of traffic but from the elements.

“Highway authorities desperately need the money and the engineering expertise to monitor and ensure our highways – our most valuable publicly-owned asset – are properly maintained and kept open for business.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mark Tilley, assistant director for infrastructure at Wigan Council said: “The bridge in question is on an unadopted section of road with a surface unsuitable for HGVs.

“The road beyond the bridge serves three residential properties.

“At this moment in time, there is no intention to upgrade the bridge to take 44 tonne vehicles due to its remote location, unsuitable road surface and lack of need for vehicles of this size to require access to the three houses.

“However, as this bridge is still under council ownership, we do regularly inspect it and currently deem it to be in satisfactory condition.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Kevin Dentith, who chairs the Adept national bridges group, said: “Alongside the misery recent rain and flooding has brought to householders and businesses, many highway authority bridge owners will be fearful of what they find when the waters recede.

“The vast volumes of water – and the debris they carry with them – will have pummelled our road bridges, some of which are already in a fragile state.

“With every sign suggesting that these extreme weather events will become more common, it is inevitable that more money will be needed to keep our bridge stock open for traffic, and hence our towns and cities open for business.”

Related topics: