Restrictions have been lifted on 7 Isle of Wight bridges after inspections found they were no longer necessary.
The Isle of Wight Council has revoked weight and access regulations affecting Park Road, Lower Calbourne and Towngate bridges following advice from Island Roads.
The changes also apply to 4 other bridges – Caesars Road, Sandy Lane, Highwood Lane and Longwood Lane – where no restriction signage was in place.
A County Hall report says the structures have either been improved or recently inspected by Island Roads, meaning the existing Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) are no longer required.
The council believes removing the restrictions will help better manage traffic across the Island and avoid unnecessary diversions for public services and heavy goods vehicles.
According to the report, maintaining outdated restrictions would conflict with the authority’s corporate objective of supporting residents, businesses and the local economy.
As the Local Highway Authority, the Isle of Wight Council has a duty to ensure the safe and efficient movement of people, services and goods across the highway network, with TROs described as a “vital instrument” in fulfilling that responsibility.
Have these bridges all been strengthened or have the goal posts simply been moved to facilitate opening them to heavier traffic for expediency? It seems odd that they have been previously deemed to require limits yet now do not if they have not been strengthened in some way