Long Bridge nears completion

By [lchurchill]

THE £2.1 MILLION restoration of one of Bideford's most historic structures, the Long Bridge, is almost complete.

Work on the historic grade one listed structure has been going on for more than a year.

The works, which are expected to come to an end this month, will preserve the local landmark for at least another 60 years.

Inspections of the bridge in 2007 revealed damage to the concrete and the structure's beams.

The team, led by Devon County Council, set about mending 21 of the 24 bridge spans which had not undergone major repair since the 1920s.

The other three spans were mended in the 1970s after the west end of the bridge fell down in 1968.

The work has included removing the cracked and crumbling concrete and cleaning and repairing the exposed steel beams.

The Long Bridge's revamp has used innovative technology, installing a cathodic protection system which has never been used on this scale before in Devon.

More than 18 miles of cable has been installed around sections of the bridge. The cable passes an electric current through the bridge's concrete and steel to stop rust and increase the life expectancy of the repairs.

Some 4,500 electrical anodes and nearly 1,000 square metres of titanium mesh have also been installed as part of that system.

Every cable in the bridge has at least two back-up cables meaning the likelihood of the system failing is significantly reduced.

The cathodic protection system can also be controlled and monitored by council staff in County Hall in Exeter through the control boxes at both ends of the bridge.

The length of the bridge and the advanced technology makes the system one of the largest and most complex of its kind in the country.

The River Torridge's tides also meant work could not be carried out continually and the scheme has taken three months longer than anticipated due to last winter's severe weather.

The team also came across more concrete in poor condition and unusual forms of rust — which were not expected.

But the council's project manager, Martin Cutler, who lives in Bideford, is delighted with the results.

He said: "Because the bridge is listed you have got to be very careful and protecting the bridge and structure is paramount and everything has been agreed in advance with English Heritage.

"Our aim is not to change the appearance. We have tried to match up the masonry work as much as possible, but it is impossible to get it exact with such an old structure.

"It is a special bridge and a good job of it has been made.

" I'm sure that when the job is finished people will not be able to see any difference, but that's the whole point — we want it to look like we've not been there."

Mr Cutler said every stone that has been taken from the bridge has been temporarily marked to ensure it goes back in the exact same place.

He said: "A lot of people in Bideford have said they have been impressed with the care we have been taking.

"Although there have been traffic lights in place at times there has been minimal disruption to the people of Bideford while the work is being done."

There have been up to 25 workers on the site at one time. Most have come from specialists teams, Concrete Repairs Ltd from Bristol and Cathodic Protection Installation, but eight of the labourers have been local.

The scheme has also given the council the chance to put new lamp posts on the bridge, white lights under it and to resurface the road and the footpaths.