Traffic Engineering

Roads and Highways - Bridge Strengthening

The maximum permitted weight of lorries was increased in February 2001 to 44 tonnes. All bridges have had to be assessed to see if they could cope with this increase safely.

While awaiting strengthening, public safety is maintained on those bridges assessed as weak by using temporary weight restrictions or other measures and restrictions (temporary measures).

Work carried out under the strengthening programme gives priority to main road bridges. For substandard bridges on the non-main road network, decisions are made whether to permanently weight restrict rather than strengthen. Each bridge is considered on its own merits taking into account safety, economic and environmental factors.

All of our bridges have been assessed for normal traffic loading in agreement with the recommended guidelines. Only 2 structures currently require additional monitoring or interim measures, with works already programmed within the London wide prioritisation programme.