Sandwell Council is responsible for around 264 bridges as well as a number of retaining walls, culverts, subways and other structures.
The Council is responsible for the majority of road and footbridges in the Borough, but there are a significant number of bridges that are owned and maintained by other organisations, such as Network Rail and the Canals and Rivers Trust (formerly British Waterways Board).
- 172 are owned by Sandwell Council
- 31 are owned by Network Rail
- 1 is owned by British Rail Property Board. BRB (Residuary) Ltd
- 29 are motorway bridges owned by the National Highways in addition to the elevated sections of the M5 and M6 motorways. These structures are maintained on their behalf by Amey Mouchel.
- 31 are owned by British Waterways.
Bridges are best identified by the name of the road which they are located on and the obstruction they cross(e.g. the River Tame or the Walsall Canal).
In addition to the bridge stock, Sandwell Council is responsible for many retaining walls which either support the highway or the land on the highway boundary. Because retaining walls are usually on the highway boundary, ownership is often uncertain and many retaining walls in the Borough are not currently in the Council's records.
It is essential to ensure that our bridges reamin in good, safe condition and accessible for all road users. We manage our bridges and structures through a programme of
- Planned inspections
- Structural reviews
- Planned major maintenance schemes
Planned Inspections:
Every three years we carry out a ‘general inspection’ of our bridges.
In 2023/24 we plan to undertake general inspections to 31 bridges in the Borough - General Inspection List
Every six years we carry out a more detailed close visual inspection (known as a ‘principal inspection’) of our more complex and larger structures.
In 2023/24 we plan to undertake principal inspections to 19 bridges in the Borough - Principal Inspection List
Structural Reviews
Sandwell has undertaken a review of our bridge data to identify which bridge structures are directly applicable to the Code of Practice CS451 (Structural Review and assessment of Highway Structures). This exercise has identified that CS451 is directly applicable to 68 Bridge Structures in total. In 2023/24 we plan to undertake the recommended structural reviews to 15 of these structures - Structural Review List
Unplanned inspections
We also carry out a number of unplanned special inspections in a year to establish the condition of a bridge or other structure. These unplanned inspections are normally carried out in following a report of a road traffic accident bridge strike or a concern raised by a member of the public.
Bridge Maintenance Programme
Sandwell has two major bridge refurbishment schemes planned for 2023.
- Scott Bridge on the Newton Road
The A4041 Newton Road form part of the West Midlands Key Route Network and is a planned motorway diversion between M5 J1 and M6 J7. This dual carriageway is carried over the Tame Valley Canal by the Scott Bridge. Ensuring the safety of the commuter traffic on the road bridge and the Tame Valley Canal operation beneath is an essential part of the West Midlands safe and sustainable transport strategy for growth.
A major £3.8M maintenance scheme is being undertaken on this bridge. The bridge deck waterproofing is in poor condition with ingress of water and de-icing salts through joints, causing corrosion and delamination of the structural concrete. The existing Impressed Current Cathodic Protection System (ICCP) installed more that 30 years ago has passed the end of its useful lifespan and further maintenance work is required to areas not protected by the ICCP system to maintain the structural integrity and long-term durability of the bridge.
- Station Road Bridge, Old Hill
An inspection of Station Road bridge identified a number of structural faults and therefore it has been necessary to close Station Road for further investigation work to be undertaken to establish the extent of the maintenance work required.
The Council has now reached agreement with the Canal and River Trust and secured the services of a contractor who is able to undertake this specialist work. Construction of this £500k project is due to commence week commencing 6th November.
This is later than the original estimate of a start date for work of September 2023. We appreciate that this delay has led to continued disruption and we are grateful to our residents for thier patience while the work is completed safely.
Repairing Station Road bridge has proved to be a complex project necessitating significant investigation work, third party liaison, permissions and approvals. The canal basin over which Station Road crosses is over 200 years old and it is very important that any work the Council undertakes on this bridge does not have any detrimental impact on the canal. The Council have been working closely with the Canal and River Trust throughout this project.
The construction period is estimated to take 9 weeks, therefore we anticipate the construction stage to be completed mid to late January 2024.
