A giant heavy truck knocked over a lamppost in Sydney Place while trying to divert traffic from the Cleveland Bridge in Bath yesterday (Monday May 10).
The structurally weak Cleveland Bridge currently has a closed traffic lane while scaffolding is being built before major structural work begins on May 31, and delays have been reported in the area.
Motorists have already been advised of the diversion routes ahead of essential engineering work, which is expected to cost £ 3.8million and last seven months.
A heavyweight who reportedly wanted to avoid traffic around the Cleveland Bridge area came with a cultivator with a lamppost while trying to turn around.
Local resident Evan Rudowski saw the heavy truck overturn a street light on which signs were warning drivers of bridge work and diversions.
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He said: “A giant heavy truck just knocked over the Sydney Place street light while trying to turn away from traffic on the Cleveland Bridge. @CllrMandaRigby“
Mr Rudowski told Bath Live: “This driver made a bad decision trying to execute an illegal three point turn into Sydney Place.
“However, overall we will continue to see this type of traffic and congestion all along the A36 for months to come.
“And the traffic is actually going to get worse after the bridge works are finished. We will be back to almost 1,000 trucks a day on the bridge.”
He added: “This is around 10% of the volume going through the Port of Dover, booming through what is essentially a residential area.
“It just illustrates how important it is for our elected officials to continue work to permanently divert the main road network from the bridge.”
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Councilor Manda Rigby, a member of the Bath and North East Somerset Council for Transport Services, said: “Thank you for this Evan and for reporting it directly to Council Connect.
“I am truly grateful that no one was injured. I will speak with the officers later this afternoon.”
An 18-ton weight limit for the structure was introduced in February last year after concerns were raised about damage to the bridge from heavy trucks.
However, several trucks per day continued to use the road and were regularly broken when exceeding the weight limit.
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Source: www.somersetlive.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-05-11 04:00:00
