Repairs to Taunton town centre bridge to cost £1.3m

Essential repairs to a key bridge in Taunton town centre will cost GBP1.3m, Somerset Council has revealed. The council announced in late-November that extensive repairs would be carried out to the grade two listed Town Bridge[1], which carries the A3027 over the River Tone in the centre of Somerset[2]'s county town. The bridge - which has been showing signs of wear and tear for several years - will be repaired gradually over a period of nine months to reduce disruption to motorists and pedestrians.

The council has now confirmed the project will cost GBP1.3m to complete - with funding being set aside despite the authority's present financial difficulties. The council declared a financial emergency in early-November[3] and has been exploring numerous ways to reduce its spending to plug an expected GBP87m budget gap for next year - including:

The council's capital programme is funded by a mixture of government grants and external borrowing, and included ring-fenced regeneration project such as the Yeovil Refresh[6], the town deals in Bridgwater[7] and Glastonbury[8], and the levelling up fund allocations[9] for Bridgwater and Wellington[10].

The council has been slimming down its capital programme by delaying certain schemes into the future or exploring how certain projects, such as the Saltlands solar farm in Bridgwater[11], could be delivered by the private sector instead. But officers confirmed that GBP1.3m would be allocated within the capital programme towards the Town Bridge, arguing that it would cost more money to postpone the plans until the council's financial position improved. A spokesman said: "A total of GBP1.3m of capital funding has been set aside to do these essential works.

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Click here to join our WhatsApp community.[16] "This is money set aside to ensure we meet our statutory obligations to keep essential infrastructure properly maintained, as opposed to revenue funding for day-to-day costs. Inflation is extremely high in the construction sector at present and showing no signs of stabilising in the medium term.

"While we cannot put a figure on how much this scheme would cost if it was left for a couple of years, it's fair to say it would cost significantly more in line with inflation and taking into consideration increased deterioration of the structure." The refurbishment of the bridge will include repairs to the existing concrete and cast iron parapets, along with new joints, waterproofing and a new coat of paint for the existing steelwork, which should protect the structure for at least the next three decades. Walters UK, the council's chosen contractor, will be starting work on site on January 8, 2024 and will complete the refurbishment by October 18, 2024 , according to the council's official roadworks portal. The road will be open to two-way traffic throughout virtually all of the project, though there may need to be some evening closures in the latter stages.

Councillor Mike Rigby, portfolio holder for transport and digital, stated in late-November: "I know that the people of Taunton have been displeased with the state of the bridge and its ornate parapets for many years.

When I was appointed to this role last year, I wanted to act on that concern and prioritise these works. "The job is much bigger than just how the bridge looks, but once the structural works are out of the way we can get on with improving the aesthetics too. This is about acting now and ensuring the structure is maintained and fit for purpose for decades to come.

"If we don't act now this is only going to become more and more expensive to do and could end up with the need for a prolonged closure of a main road. Thankfully virtually all the work will be done while the road remains open."

The council is currently consulting on residents' priorities for its budget before cost-saving proposals come before the executive committee in January and the full council approves the budget in late-February. To take part in the consultation, visit www.somersetcouncil.citizenspace.com/comms/budget-consultation-2024-2025 by January 22 .

Paper copies are available at all council offices and libraries across Somerset.

References

1. ^ announced in late-November that extensive repairs would be carried out to the grade two listed Town Bridge (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
2. ^ Somerset (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
3. ^ declared a financial emergency in early-November (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
4. ^ Popular M5 services to be expanded and revamped (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
5. ^ New operator for Taunton park and ride after Buses of Somerset pulls out (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
6. ^ the Yeovil Refresh (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
7. ^ Bridgwater (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
8. ^ Glastonbury (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
9. ^ the levelling up fund allocations (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
10. ^ Wellington (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
11. ^ the Saltlands solar farm in Bridgwater (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
12. ^ Somerset Live (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
13. ^ click this link and select 'Join Community'. (chat.whatsapp.com)
14. ^ Somerset Live (www.somersetlive.co.uk)
15. ^ Privacy Notice. (www.reachplc.com)
16. ^ Click here to join our WhatsApp community. (chat.whatsapp.com)