A 'saddened' highways boss has hit back at claims council 'negligence' is to blame for the partial collapse of an ancient bridge, blaming instead erosion caused by flood water.
A section of the wing wall of Powick Old Bridge near Worcester collapsed at the end of January, sparking fears about the future of the grade I listed medieval structure.
The bridge is considered a vital part of Worcestershire's rich heritage as the site of the first skirmish of the English Civil War, the Battle of Powick Bridge on September 23, 1642.
It was also of key importance during the last battle of the Civil War, the Battle of Worcester on September 3, 1651. During that battle Sir William Keith, a loyal Scottish Royalist, was tasked with the defence of Powick Bridge.
Councillor Mike Rouse, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at Worcestershire County Council, said: "Like many, I was deeply saddened to hear of the wing wall collapsing on Powick Old Bridge, forcing its closure earlier this month. I know how popular this bridge is as a walking and cycling route for our residents, and visitors to our county.
"Initial investigations indicate the partial collapse occurred due to the effects of significant amounts of debris accumulating against the structure resulting in scour issues. We have seen a huge increase in such debris since the upstream weir was partially removed as part of an initiative to assist the migration of fish in the River Teme.
"Contrary to some comments that have appeared claiming the damage is due to negligence, the County Council would vehemently deny this. We take the maintenance of our structures extremely seriously, complying with all Government code of practice requirements and exceeding those relating to diving inspections.
"It is strongly believed that the damage was due to erosion caused by a very intense flood event combined with the excessive amounts of debris that had built up against the bridge structure. Investigations are ongoing to establish the source of excessive debris.
"The bridge has huge historical importance to Worcester, being the site of the first battle of the English Civil War in September 1642. It is one of Worcestershire’s oldest bridges and one of our most cherished assets. So, we are doing everything we can to reinstate it as quickly as possible.
"However, this is a complicated and challenging project involving extensive work and collaboration with other organisations such as the Environment Agency and Historic England. We all have an important part to play.
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"Interestingly, the collapse has allowed us the opportunity to see the underside of the roadway, which appears to be in at least two distinct levels, the lower level may be the 17th C cobbled surface that the battles were fought upon. Working with Historic England, there is a plan to protect archaeology during the repairs, with a potential further stage of archaeological work to be conducted ahead of and during repairs.
"Regarding the reinstatement, firstly, we need to fully understand the chain of events that led up to the collapse of the bridge, establish good access to the location to enable the work to begin, and identify the best option to extensively restore the bridge back to its former glory.
We will share updates as soon as we get them and what the next steps are.”
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