Bridge Weight Limit 7.5 Tonne

[EnglishRose]

I'm curious to know if there has ever been a similar issue re CRT bridge weight limits.

 

Bear with me it's a long one....

 

There is a canal bridge on the lane with access over it which leads to us, the property opposite (a cottage on the lock) and further down the lane fields owned by a nearby large commercial farm. Before you get over the bridge there are 4 cottages also on the lane. This lane is also a bridleway and footpath.

 

The farm has alternative access to the fields and outbuildings but prefers to go over the canal bridge as its easier (quicker and shorter). The lane, especially in winter is a complete muddy mess mainly due to the fact that they shift extreme amounts of slurry from the commercial farm (over 2000 cows kept inside) to the fields. Now it doesn't bother us so much as we have a long drive from the lane and just accept it and and I'm from an agricultural background so I know they need to do what they do (although if significant damage to the bridge happened we would be stuck as its our only access). The neighbours the other side of the bridge are up in arms. I wouldn't say it's so much the crossing of the bridge alone (although they have cited it as an issue) but in addition that their houses are very close to the lane so tractors and slurry tankers going back and too for 9 hours a day quite regularly does their heads in (not to mention even larger agricultural vehicles for harvesting etc). To put it into context, one day it started at 6;10am and they were back and to up until turned 5pm. The neighbour logged at least 50 journeys over the bridge with full tankers (and then the same back). The bridge in the 5 years we have been here has got worse. There are cracks, huge potholes in it and chipped bricks where its being hit. 

 

I believe one of the neighbours has raised the issue with CRT sending video evidence months worth of logs of bridge use etc (bear in mind this has been an issue for years but has recently come to a head with an increase in agricultural use rather than them.using their alternative access) and CRT are finally looking into it with their legal team.

 

The cynic in me says they probably won't do anything but surely a bridge designed for 7.5 tonne limit which is having this exceeded very regularly must be having some impact (I would say a tractor and full slurry tanker probably weighs about 15 tonne minimum).  I presume at the time the weight limit was fine but with heavier farm vehicles etc  The other thing is how the hell would a weight limit be legally enforced? I mean given there is only us, one other property and the farmers fields there isn't anyone else who requires access over it as such but unless someone is monitoring it all the time.

 

Does anyone know if there has been similar issues on canal bridge weight and action taken to enforce it. I'm curious......

 

Thanks 

[ditchcrawler]

Is it CRTs bridge or the farmers, ie. who is responsible for maintaining it, or is it highways if it has a weight limit on it?

[EnglishRose]

Just now, ditchcrawler said:

Is it CRTs bridge or the farmers, ie. who is responsible for maintaining it, or is it highways if it has a weight limit on it?

 

It's CRT bridge on the Llangollen.

[LadyG]

I'm surprised that they are allowed to spread slurry in winter, generally they have to store up to six months waste to prevent pollution of waterways. 

It certainly sounds like a nightmare for those affected.

There is also mud and so on affecting the road.

I assume those getting badly affected have contacted LA, EA,  and Deffra, plus Highways. I'm not sure of the rules and regs, but slso contacting the LA councilor should identify which rules are relevant.

With respect to the CRT, I noticed a large tanker crossing a CRT 3 T Bridge to empty an Elsan facility recently.

Edited January 29 by LadyG

[GUMPY]

When I first moved to Bourne End the  canal  bridge was full width and IIRC  with a 7.5T limit on it. A while later the limit was reduced to 3.5T and the bridge was narrowed by fitting a raised kerb which made it difficult for larger vehicles.

 

Could be worth enquiring if similar can be done there.

It does have a crack that to my knowledge has been there best part of 30 years 😱

[EnglishRose]

41 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I assume those getting badly affected have contacted LA, EA,  and Deffra, plus Highways

 

Yes, with no success. The LA muat be sick of the farm as there are very frequent complaints about maize being planted blocking foothpath routes, signs being removed etc. They are frequent issues with planning at the main farm with retrospective planning being put in or rubbish applications with info lacking getting refused. The slurry spreading doesn't seem be an issue to anyone you mention and it happens very, very regularly.

38 minutes ago, GUMPY said:

When I first moved to Bourne End the  canal  bridge was full width and IIRC  with a 7.5T limit on it. A while later the limit was reduced to 3.5T and the bridge was narrowed by fitting a raised kerb which made it difficult for larger vehicles.

 

Could be worth enquiring if similar can be done there.

It does have a crack that to my knowledge has been there best part of 30 years 😱

That looks interesting. 

 

Something I forgot to mention is when we applied for planning for our extension we had to have a heritage assessment on said bridge at a pretty hefty cost and were slapped with a 5 tonne weight limit so all materials had to be taken over in multiple trips in smaller loads (not that anyone would have noticed)! The irony!

[Ex Brummie]

Is this in Wales or England? The rules are different.

[EnglishRose]

7 minutes ago, Ex Brummie said:

Is this in Wales or England? The rules are different.

 

England

[David Mack]

Is the lane over the bridge a public road I.e. maintained by the local highway authority? If so they will own the road surface and CRT will own the bridge beneath. If a weight limit needs to be imposed that would have to be agreed by both CRT and the highway authority, and enforcement would be down to the HA.

If it is not a public road (although it may well be a public right of way) then it is a matter for CRT alone.

[EnglishRose]

26 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Is the lane over the bridge a public road I.e. maintained by the local highway authority? If so they will own the road surface and CRT will own the bridge beneath. If a weight limit needs to be imposed that would have to be agreed by both CRT and the highway authority, and enforcement would be down to the HA.

If it is not a public road (although it may well be a public right of way) then it is a matter for CRT alone.

 

This is where it may become tricky. It's not clear who owns the lane and when we bought our house the solicitors could not determine who actually owns it! The bridge is CRT and the lane is a bridleway as shown on the council website. I've no idea if this means the council should do maintenance on the lane as its bridleway or not because they haven't touched it in the 6 years we have been here. To be honest it would be pointless doing any maintenance on it because the endless tractors would just churn up any gravel etc.

 

This is the lane towards the farm having come over the canal bridge so as you can see the bridleway is in a pretty poor state. Note that the pic of this is an old disused railway bridge not a canal bridge.

Edited January 29 by EnglishRose

[David Mack]

If the road is unsurfaced like that then it is almost certainly not maintained by the highway authority. The fact that its a public footpath or bridleway doesn't alter that, nor the fact that various property owners (including the farm) may have a private right to use it.

[EnglishRose]

5 minutes ago, David Mack said:

If the road is unsurfaced like that then it is almost certainly not maintained by the highway authority. The fact that its a public footpath or bridleway doesn't alter that, nor the fact that various property owners (including the farm) may have a private right to use it.

 

As I thought. Will wait to see what CRT say to our neighbours. It will be interesting to see how they deal with it. Until the inevitable happens and there is some serious damage done to the bridge or a boater (it gets very busy March - October) I suspect nothing until it comes to who gad to pay for any repairs.

[GUMPY]

You need to find out if it is a BOAT (Bridleway Open to All Traffic)  it could be that it's not and no traffic is allowed down there 😱

[noddyboater]

Our canalside cottage is on a lane near a listed bridge over the Chesterfield Canal, the road has a 7.5 t limit. Confusingly it's signed at either end 'Alternative route for high vehicles" just before the weight limit signs as it cuts a long loop of the main Retford to Gainsborough road with two low railway bridges.

This results in constant use from HGV's, often well over 30t. Many of these can actually fit under the low bridges on the main road but use it as a short cut. 

When I brought it up with local authorities I was told it was an 'environmental' limit, not structural, and they turned a blind eye as a lot of the traffic was serving the nearby power station!

I personally can't wait until the bridge finally gives in and crumbles into the canal.

[Graham Davis]

2 hours ago, GUMPY said:

You need to find out if it is a BOAT (Bridleway Open to All Traffic)  it could be that it's not and no traffic is allowed down there 😱

 

It is possible that vehicular access can be allowed along a non-BOAT for agricultural use or for access to residences.

Also possible the route is an ORPA, which are only listed on the Council List of Streets and not on the Definitive RoW Map.

If the OP can give a map reference to the relevant bridge I have access to some more definitive maps.

[Pluto]

I have posted this before:

[noddyboater]

Great picture, I know the bridge well.

How I'd love to see a Thorry Transport artic in the same position on our bridge.

That company are the main culprits, running power station ash back to their landfill site near Peterborough, constant daily traffic from 5am. 

How environmentally friendly! 

 

Going back to commercial farms and CRT..

They must have some clout as a bridge on the Chesterfield was strengthened quite recently to allow heavier farm traffic. Unfortunately the work narrowed the bridge hole thus restricting the navigable width of a historically wide canal.

[EnglishRose]

After today's 8 hours of slurry tankers this is now the state of the bridge

 

 

[MtB]

On 30/01/2024 at 09:27, noddyboater said:

I personally can't wait until the bridge finally gives in and crumbles into the canal.

 

 

I predict CRT will just rebuild a historically perfect replica bridge at a cost of circa £3m, just like that other one discussed here recently.

 

Then claim there is no money for broken paddles.