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National Highways has U-turned on plans to infill a 140-year-old bridge in East Sussex.<\/h3>\nNational Highways has U-turned on plans to infill a 140-year-old bridge in East Sussex.<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
New Civil Engineer<\/em> writes:<\/p>\n It comes after months of vocal opposition to the planned infilling from local councils and community groups in Barcombe.<\/p>\n The decision was announced in a letter from National Highways head of HRE Programme H\u00e9l\u00e8ne Rossiter sent to a local campaign group.<\/p>\n The letter states that National Highways \u201cdo not intend to infill this structure\u201d.<\/p>\n It adds: \u201cNational Highways, East Sussex County Council and Lewes District Council [\u2026] are working in partnership to update our knowledge of the use of structure which will inform future options for ensuring the safety of the bridge for the public.\u201d<\/p>\n Carrying a minor road, Barcombe\u2019s Church Road bridge was built in the early 1880s as part of a railway line connecting Lewes and East Grinstead.<\/p>\n Its brick parapets and wingwalls have been subject to movement for many years – with cracks recorded as long ago as 1994. National Highways had originally intended to bury the structure within an estimated 1,800t of aggregate and concrete.<\/p>\n In October, 176 residents sent a letter to National Highways expressing their opposition to infilling, while Lewes District Council wrote to transport secretary Grant Shapps demanding the \u201cfull and unequivocal cessation\u201d of the infill policy.<\/p>\n The structure is part of the Historical Railways Estate managed by National Highways on behalf of the DfT and comprises 3,200 bridges, tunnels and viaducts, including 77 listed structures\u2026<\/p>\n National Highways is in the process of finalising a new method for assessing structures within its HRE programme.<\/p>\n