Bridges

A bridge is a structure carrying a highway to provide passage over an obstacle such as a water course, railway, road, valley, etc.    

North East Lincolnshire Council is the Highway Authority and as such has a responsibility for  bridges supporting the public highway.  The Council is responsible for around 250 highway bridges and other highway structures.  The majority of bridges are Council owned but there are also other bridge owners/authorities such as Highways Agency (trunk roads), Railtrack (Railways), British Rail Property Board (disused railways), and the Environment Agency (main rivers).

As a rule bridges belong to the organisation (or its successor) that had cause to construct the bridge in the first place.  When responsibility for a route changes, the responsibility for bridges on that route can be transferred from one organisation to another.

All the Councils bridges are inspected in accordance with current national standards and general inspections are carried out every twenty sevens months.  Special inspections if necessary are carried out following the outcome of general or principal inspections.

Bridges not owned or maintained by the Council are given a special inspection every twenty seven months and bridge owners will be advised of anything that requires further attention or investigation.

Incidents of damage through vehicle collision, storm damage, or other causes are investigated as soon as possible after the event.  In the case of damage to bridges by vehicles the Councils seeks to recover the cost of repairs from owners/insurers.