30/11/2009 - Visual checks complete on Cumbrian bridges : Cumbria County Council

More than 1,200 bridges in Cumbria that are on or near water have now been checked following the devastating flooding that hit the county.

Teams of engineers have carried out visual checks on 1,240 bridges to determine whether structures have been damaged and those where damage was identified or suspected were closed.

Now with water levels receding, more detailed structural assessments are being carried out and bridges given the all clear are being re-opened.

Five bridges on major routes identified as high priority that have had principal bridge inspections –a full assessment including divers checking for damage or erosion –have now re-opened including Holmrook bridge on the A595 and Keswick’s Greta bridge.

The bridges that remain closed will undergo full checks as soon as possible to determine whether they can be re-opened.

A total of six bridges around the county have collapsed - three road bridges and three footbridges (see below for the full list of bridge closures).

With temperatures dropping Cumbria Highways will be gritting the county’s roads overnight.

As a series of diversions are in place due to road and bridge closures a revised gritting programme is in operation –with A and B roads on diversion routes in areas that are being gritted getting treated - as well as some more minor routes that are being used for diversions.

Salt heaps that have been washed away in the flooding are also being replenished so they are readily available when the cold weather bites.

Motorists are urged to take extra care when they are out and about on the county’s roads and plan extra time for their journeys to take into account the weather and road and bridge closures.

Members of the public are being warned to stay away from Main Street in Cockermouth where a major clean up operation is now taking place.

ROAD BRIDGE CLOSURES: (please note closed road bridges are also out of bounds for predestrians)

Allerdale: [Road diversion maps in Allerdale]

[Map] U2190 Low Lorton Bridge (collapsed)

A5086 Gote Road Cockermouth

A597 Northside Bridge (collapsed)

[Map] B5291 Ouse Bridge to Castle Inn

[Map] C2170 Broughton Bridge

[Map] C2202 C2202 Southwaite Bridge

[Map] U2217 Little Braithwaite Bridge (collapsed)

C2026 Isel Bridge

A596 Workington Bridge Calva Bridge

U2309 Station Road (access to swimming pool) Keswick

[Map/Map 2] C2064 Cocker Bridge, Cockermouth

[Map] U2181 Scarness Bridge

B5289 Honister Pass

C2058 Rigg Beck (Mill Dam Bridge)

B5292 Scawgill near High Lorton

C2030 Low Liza Bridge Near CornHow

South Lakeland: [Road diversion maps in South Lakeland]

[Map/Map 2/Road closure notice] U5082 Water Yeat Bouthrey Bridge

[Map/Road closure notice] C5049 Backbarrow off A590

C1025 Kershop Burn Bridge

FOOTBRIDGE CLOSURES:

Allerdale: [Road diversion maps in Allerdale]

Camerton (collapsed)

Navvies Footbridge Workington (collapsed)

Portinscale Footbridge

Memorial Gardens Footbridge, Cockermouth (collapsed)

South Street/Kirkgate Footbridge, Cockermouth

Workington Docks Old Railway Footbridge

Brewery Footbridge, Cockermouth

Black Bridge footpath, Egremont

ROAD CLOSURES:

Allerdale: [Road diversion maps in Allerdale]

B529 & C2064 Main Street and Cocker Bridge Cockermouth

U2239 Brundholme Woods, Keswick

U1081 Newby East to Crosby

U1083 Crosby Lodge

Copeland: [Road diversion maps in Copeland]

U4440 Wagon Way, Whitehaven

A66 to Hutton John

Media enquiries to media officer John Ballard on 01228 226330