As a result of the damage caused to Cumbria’s infrastructure by severe floods last week, Royal Engineers are to begin construction of a temporary footbridge spanning the River Derwent in Workington today, Friday 27 November 2009.
Engineers from 20 Field Squadron, 36 Engineer Regiment, bridge the gap over the Vrbas River near Jajce, Bosnia, with a logistic support bridge
[Picture: Capt Kevin Harvey, Crown Copyright/MOD 1996]
The decision to task the Army follows intensive consideration by civil and military engineers of a wide range of options to alleviate the disruption caused by the loss of the Workington road bridges during the floods.
The logistic support bridge will provide a connection between the north and south sides of the town which were cut off from each other after the Workington Bridge was destroyed and the Calva Bridge suffered significant structural damage from the floods – it is still unstable and dangerous.
Preparatory work to install the new logistic support bridge is beginning immediately and foundations should be in place by this Sunday, 29 November. The bridge then needs to be assembled and dropped into place – hopefully the footbridge will be open to the public by 5 December 2009.
Some 200 soldiers will be involved in the operation, including Royal Engineers (to build it), the Royal Logistic Corps (to transport it – the bridge comes in many sections), the Royal Signals and the Royal Military Police.
The military effort is being co-ordinated by the regional brigade for North West England, 42 (North West) Brigade, and soldiers will be carrying out the work in round-the-clock shifts to reconnect the town as soon as possible.
Survey work was completed by a team from 64 Works Group Royal Engineers, based in Nottingham, who will also oversee the building work. The construction work will be undertaken by 3 Armoured Engineer Squadron, part of 22 Engineer Regiment, based in Tidworth.
Installing a footbridge is the simplest and quickest immediate solution to span the River Derwent. Engineers are still exploring options on road connections over the river, but at this stage the immediate priority is linking the two communities.
The bridge will be positioned upstream of the Calva Bridge and access for the south side will be near the car park opposite Marks and Spencer.
Councillor Jim Buchanan, Leader of Cumbria County Council, said:
“Our highways engineers have been pulling out all the stops and working with the Army to make this happen as soon as possible. It’s vital that we get people moving and able to cross the river.
“I’d like to offer my thanks and congratulations to everyone involved in getting this project up and running so quickly.
“I’d also like to express my gratitude to the Government for its confirmation that the Department for Transport will be paying for the new bridge as part of its recovery package.”
Brigadier Bill Aldridge, Commander 42 (North West) Brigade, said:
“We are very pleased to have been asked to help the civilian authorities and assist the local community in Workington with constructing this bridge across the River Derwent.
“The Army is very much part of society and part of the fabric of Cumbria where my brigade is based and we are determined to do what we can, where appropriate, and in partnership with the civilian agencies, to assist in the recovery from these devastating floods.”
Minister for the Armed Forces, Bill Rammell, said:
“The Armed Forces were able to play their part in the magnificent rescue effort by the emergency services during the flooding, and I am very pleased that they will be able to make a further important contribution as the country helps people in Cumbria start to rebuild their communities after the devastation they suffered.”
On a separate note, vehicles have been seen crossing the Calva Bridge this morning after drivers removed road barriers. This is extremely dangerous and authorities are warning that drivers must not attempt to cross the Calva Bridge. Reinforced barriers are now being installed.
A Military Operations news article - 27 Nov 09 – Crown Copyright
Tweet this!
