Substandard bridges in Somerset

Research published by the RAC Foundation shows Somerset has 160 bridges which are classed as “substandard” – behind only its immediate neighbour Devon (244) and Essex (167).

A Freedom of Information request has revealed the locations of all 160 bridges which do not meet the government’s standards.

The county council has responded that it has spent nearly £7M on bridge repairs over the last three years, and has stressed that the bridges identified are still safe for public use.

A bridge is defined as ‘substandard’ by the Department for Transport if it is unable to support a 44-tonne lorry.

Defining a bridge is ‘substandard’ does not in itself mean it poses any immediate safety risk to motorists or the wider public.

Many of the bridges listed in Somerset are on little-used rural roads, many of which could not practically support vehicles weighing 44 tonnes.

However, the list also includes bridges which are part of major routes across Somerset – including the A38 in Highbridge, the A38 in the Bathpool area of Taunton, and the A358 approaching junction 25 for the M5.

A spokesman for Somerset County Council said: “In Somerset we have a high number of bridges, a relatively small of proportion of which are classed as substandard simply because they are theoretically unsuitable for 44-tonne lorries, either due to weight, width or height.

“This includes structures such as clapper bridges, swing bridges and culverts which would never be used by 44-tonne lorries in any case. Many others are protected by weight limits, either on the bridge or on the route.

“It should also be noted that whilst a bridge may be classed as substandard, it could be due to only one specific element of the structure being substandard – for example, just the foot-ways with the carriageway being up to standard.

“We have robust inspection regimes in place and ensure all bridges classed as substandard are subject to higher levels of scrutiny to ensure to ensure they are suitable for the traffic using them.”

The council spent around £2.095M of capital funding on bridge repairs in 2018/19, compared to around £1.83M the previous year and £3.017M in 2016/17.

Here is a list of all Somerset’s ‘substandard’ bridges, broken down by district:

Somerset West and Taunton (Taunton Deane and West Somerset):

• Roughmoor Bridge, Bishop’s Hull
• Tytherleigh Bridge, Bishop’s Hull
• Garage Culvert, Bishops Lydeard
• Watts Bridge, Bishops Lydeard
• Bradford Bridge, Bradford-on-Tone
• Bridgetown Bridge, Bridgetown
• Chilly Bridge, nr Bridgetown
• Lears Bridge, Churchstanton
• Combe Florey Bridge, Combe Florey
• The Farmers Arms Bridge, Combe Florey
• Bonniton Cross Bridge, Dunster
• Mill Lane Bridge, Dunster
• Fitzroy Bridge, Fitzroy
• Lower Ham Culvert North, Ham
• Hawkcombe South Bridge, Hawkcombe
• Haydon East Culvert, Haydon
• Hungerford Bridge, Hungerford
• Huntscott Bridge, Huntscott
• Parkhouse Bridge, Kilve
• Harpford Bridge, nr Langford Budville
• Harpford Canal Bridge, nr Langford Budville
• Wellisford Bridge, nr Langford Budville
• Luckwell Bridge, Luckwell Bridge
• Malmshead Bridge, Malmshead
• Monksilver Ford Bridge, Monksilver
• Station Road Bridge, Norton Fitzwarren
• Rendy Farm Culvert, Oake
• Venn Bridge, nr Oldways End
• Stream Bridge, Stream, nr Orchard Wyndham
• Old Rockwell Bridge, Rockwell Green
• Stoney Stile Bridge, nr Sampford Arundel
• Driver Cottage (Hearlake) Bridge, nr Simonsbath
• Dixey Bridge, Staple Fitzpaine
• Stoke East Bridge, Stoke St Mary
• Bathpool East Bridge, Taunton
• Blackbrook New Bridge, Taunton
• Claremont Drive Bridge, Taunton
• Manor Road Bridge, Taunton
• Severn Drive Bridge, Taunton
• Canal Farm Bridge, Thornfalcon
• Harpers Bridge, nr West Buckland
• Steart End Bridge, West Buckland
• Bridge Street Bridge, Williton
• Highbridge Bridge, Williton
• Landacre Bridge, Withypool
• Woodford Bridge, Woodford
• Chapel Bridge, Wrantage

Mendip:

• Baltonsborough Mill Bridge, Baltonsborough
• Wallyers Bridge, Baltonsborough
• Batcombe Bridge, Batcombe
• Back Town Bridge, Butleigh
• Ford Bridge, Chewton Mendip
• School Culvert, Chilcompton
• White Bridge, Clapton
• Ham Bridge, nr Coleford
• Hippeys Mill Bridge, Coleford
• Jacks Lane Bridge, Croscombe
• Dulcote Bridge, Dulcote
• Elm Lane Bridge, Egford
• Farleigh Hungerford Middle Flood Arch, Farleigh Hungerford
• Farleigh Hungerford North Flood Arch, Farleigh Hungerford
• Farleigh Hungerford River Bridge, Farleigh Hungerford
• Farleigh Hungerford South Flood Arch, Farleigh Hungerford
• Feltham Bridge, Feltham
• Single Hill Bridge, nr Foxcote
• Frome Town Bridge, Frome
• Bumbailey Bridge, Glastonbury
• Cow Bridge, Glastonbury
• Paradise Bridge, Glastonbury
• High Beech Bridge, Godney
• Whites Bridge, Godney
• Great Elm Bridge, Great Elm
• Hapsford Culvert, Hapsford
• Ford Lane Bridge, Henton
• Alham Farm Bridge, Higher Alham
• Chapel Bridge, Laverton
• Blatch Bridge, Little Keyford
• Almshouses Bridge, Mells
• Nunney Bridge, Nunney
• Platterwell Bridge, nr Pilton
• Swanshord Bridge, Polsham
• Rodden Church Bridge, Rodden
• Rode Bridge, Rode
• Rode Mill Bypass Arch, Rode
• Ham Rhyne Bridge, nr Rodney Stoke
• Middle Bow Bridge, nr Rodney Stoke
• Middle Drove Bridge, nr Rodney Stoke
• Cradle Bridge, Sharpham
• Darshill Farm Bridge, nr Shepton Mallet
• Leg Square Culvert, Shepton Mallet
• Hartlake Bridge, nr Southway
• Hartlake Culvert, nr Southway
• Spring Gardens No 4 Bridge, Spring Gardens
• Meade Lane (Steanbow) Bridge, Sticklinch
• Back Lane Bridge, Stoney Stratton
• Tellisford Mill Bridge, Tellisford
• Lanshard Bridge, Walton
• Stepstone Bridge, Walton
• South Street Bridge, Wells
• West Street Bridge, Wells
• White Lake Bridge, nr West Pennard
• Border Bridge, Wookey
• Sleight Farm Bridge, Woolverton

Sedgemoor:

• Andersea East Bridge, Andersea
• Church Culvert, Blackford
• Crossways Swing Bridge, Bridgwater
• Love Lane Culvert, Burnham-on-Sea
• Burrowbridge Bridge, Burrowbridge
• Cannington Bridge, Cannington
• Catcott Bridge, Catcott
• Canal Bridge, nr Cheddar
• Nidons West Bridge, Chilton Polden
• Cocklake Bridge, Cocklake
• North Brook Old Bridge, Cockwood
• Quaking Bridge, nr East Huntspill
• Fordgate Canal Swing Bridge, Fordgate
• Old River Brue Bridge, Highbridge
• River Brue Bridge, Highbridge
• Walrow East Culvert, Highbridge
• Croft Farm Bridge, Huntspill
• Meads Building Swing Bridge, Huntworth
• Church Road Swing Bridge, North Newton
• Mill Street Culvert, North Petherton
• Newtown Bridge, nr Panborough
• Puriton Level No. 2 Bridge, Puriton
• Rooksbridge Bridge, Rooksbridge
• Guildhall Lane No 2 Bridge, Wedmore
• Tadham Moor Bridge, nr Westhay
• Place Drove Bridge, Westonzoyland

South Somerset:

• Batts Hole Bridge, Bruton
• Penny Post Bridge, Catsgore
• Stretford Water Bridge, Dowlish Wake
• Ware Lane Bridge, Dowlish Wake
• Cot Bridge, East Chinnock
• Higher Swell Bridge, Fivehead
• New Hambridge Bridge, Hambridge
• Jordan’s North Bridge, Horton
• Ducks Hill Bridge, Huish Episcopi
• Mudges Bridge, Ilton
• Two Bridges Bridge, Isle Abbotts
• Cooks Cary Bridge, nr Kingsdon
• Mill Stream Bridge, Limington
• Bulls Bridge, Lopen
• Frickers Bridge, Martock
• Merriott Lower Bridge, Merriott
• Kingsbury Bridge, Milborne Port
• Unity Lane Bridge, Misterton
• Oathill Bridge, Oathill
• Ablake Bridge, Pibsbury
• Dunpole Farm Bridge, Sea
• Abbots Mill Bridge, Sutton Bingham
• Sutton Montis Bridge, Sutton Montis
• Abbey Ford Bridge, nr Templecombe
• Pitt Bridge, Thorney
• Court Mill Bridge, Wadeford

• Frog Lane Bridge, West Camel
• Shadwell Bridge, Wincanton
• Saltersford Bridge, nr Woolston
• Newton Road Bridge, Yeovil