Following a recent inspection ordered by Bath & North East Somerset Council of the bridge near the bandstand in Keynsham Memorial Park, it was discovered that there is a problem with the internal hidden structure.
The independent engineer who conducted the inspection has advised the Council that the Bridge is not safe for use by more than a few people at a time. Therefore, in the interests of public safety the Council has regrettably closed the bridge to all users until an effective means of making the bridge safe is implemented.
The Council is currently investigating ways to restore the bridge to its original structural strength and lift the closure. We anticipate lifting the closure before the start Keynsham Music Festival by using scaffolding to reinforce the structure. Further works will required at some stage in the future to strengthen the structure permanently.
How did this come about?
The Council recently funded a range of accessibility improvements for the bridge. During the implementation of these improvements concerns were raised by one of our contractors about part of the bridge's structure. As soon as the Council was informed, we ordered the inspection.
In common with many of our other structures, the visible structure of the bridge is inspected on a five yearly cycle – the last being in July 2010 which indicated no problem. The internal hidden structure is not normally routinely inspected unless a problem is suspected.
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