On the buses, on the bridges!

Each Monday we have an excellent market in Christchurch when the High Street almost gets pedestrian status. The normal bus routes are altered which includes Bridge Street and this has been the case for many years. With growing public concern over the damage being done to our two ancient bridges I have asked my Transport lead member to have a look at just what is happening to cause the bridge surfaces to continually break down. Much has been said about the class of material used to create the surface and whether or not it is fit for purpose, but my concern is wider than the issue of why we are suddenly experiencing pot holes and road surface breakdown. The level of traffic including the massive bus load imposed on these fragile structures which were designed to carry horse and cart transport, seems to me to be of great concern. These bridges have a weight limitation of 7.5 tonnes and from what I can see this is easily exceeded on a regular basis, and I mean minute by minute on busy days, so it is no wonder that these structures are shaking themselves to oblivion. It also seems to me that if we as passengers, we as visitors, we as market goers, we as bus companies, we as residents can live with the buses finding a better safer route on Mondays then why don't we make that a permanent move so that the buses totally avoid the bridges. I am not sure what weight the buses are fully laden but yesterday I saw two buses nose to tail going over the bridges at the same time. The stress to the bridges structure must be enormous and far exceed that for which it was designed for. You may ask why CBC have not dealt with this in the past and that would be a fair question but now and since Dorset County Council has taken back the highways agency we are not empowered to do anything to do with highways. So my lead member for Transport is making this issue a priority and I will be speaking to County Councillors to get their support. Comments as to the effect of this change would be gratefully received.