The Uk's Most Dangerous Structures. HRE Group Campaign

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  • čas přidán 8. 09. 2024
  • #highwaysengland #hregroup Action points for you lovely people:
    1) Go sign the petition: www.change.org...
    2) Go look at the map and get involved with your local structure. (Is it marked as potential use?) Let us know what yours is in the comments below. Link: www.google.com...
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Komentáře • 398

  • @pwhitewick
    @pwhitewick  Před 3 lety +48

    Action points for you lovely people:
    1) Go sign the petition: www.change.org/theHREgroup
    2) Go look at the map and get involved with your local structure. (Is it marked as potential use?) Let us know what yours is in the comments below. Link: www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1_9GtFIDW-QuYPvp8vBcSUD4gH9cOMdZt&ll=54.67264711578748%2C-3.144142287597238&z=6

  • @christianwall7181
    @christianwall7181 Před 3 lety +77

    Particularly ironic given Highway England’s attitude to safety on smart motorways, where some casualties have been saved by the variable speed limits, but the overall design is costing lives as highlighted by coroners.

    • @koolerking440
      @koolerking440 Před 3 lety +7

      Ah, you mean the “murder highways”. Yep, we must get rid of old bridges, but allow someone to break down and be hit by a lorry.

    • @christianwall7181
      @christianwall7181 Před 3 lety +4

      @@koolerking440 Yep, totally. Was merely trying to avoid a rant on my part. Local stretch of the M1 has been converted, but not yet opened as the refuges are at least a mile apart. Even if you broke down in the inside lane, for much of that stretch you could not get out and get to safety due to a sheer drop into ditches, vertical retaining walls etc. Corporate manslaughter charges should really be considered.

    • @davidelliott5843
      @davidelliott5843 Před 3 lety +2

      There’s the a variable speed limit sign on the M42 near the NEC which always shows 10mph below all the others. The font makes 50 look much like 60 and causes some nasty sudden braking. It’s done it since the signs went up (at least) 20 years ago. Not dangerous of course.

    • @jonathandenton6160
      @jonathandenton6160 Před 3 lety

      Perth, Western Australia now has it's first section of Smart Freeway (Motorway) and is about to gain a second... All well and good having lane management, but closing down the emergency lane is going to kill people.

    • @arthercamelot1140
      @arthercamelot1140 Před 3 lety

      How can someone get payed and put in a position to OK that. In any walk of life its the tin tac and charges for vandalism. How can you go home after looking at that great Musgrave Bridge and say good job done. You must be a total asshole

  • @barfly946
    @barfly946 Před 3 lety +115

    So , it's a " weak bridge " , but only if you exceed the weight limit ? Like any other bridge then ?

    • @pwhitewick
      @pwhitewick  Před 3 lety +26

      100% this. Plus 5k repointing will double it.

    • @Joe90V
      @Joe90V Před 3 lety +5

      @@pwhitewick Engineer here; sorry but £5k is ridiculously optimistic. Perhaps budget (w/o looking) £25k. Also, councils have 2 budgets (only 1 covered by council tax & different types of work come out of different budgets) Capital works (ie. infill) can be recovered from Govt. Pressure, as always on Councils to limit their expenditures.

  • @leswallace2426
    @leswallace2426 Před 3 lety +2

    I've tried passing the petition and video along to people and orgs in the canal community. Thanks to 'redundant' canals being infilled and built over restoring has and is taking up far more time and money than it could have done. It's outrageous that the very clear lesson that should have been learned from this hasn't been. This will resonate with thousands of people who slogged hard and long to restore canals for the rest of us. It might be worth approaching them directly there are literally dozens of canal restoration groups, plus thousands of canal users who can do so in spite of rather than because of 'professionals'. I'll do what I can. Well done Graham, Paul and Rebecca

  • @christopherrosindale3175
    @christopherrosindale3175 Před 3 lety +15

    Glad to see this Paul, as I am heavily involved in a campaign to stop Highways England from infilling 2 bridges in SW Scotland. 1 is at Lochanhead Station, 5 miles West of Dumfries on the former Port Road line between there and Stranraer, and it only carries a quiet minor road, with very few heavy lorries, and crosses a former railway which is being investigated for re-opening by both the Scottish and UK Governments, due to its potential as a strategic rail corridor from Carlisle to the Northern Ireland ferry port at Cairnryan, near Stranraer. The other is at Tilekilns, and crosses the route of the former Solway Junction Railway (Kirtlebridge - Bowness on Solway, across the now demolished Solway Viaduct) near Annan. Both bridges are in sound condition, being built from dressed sandstone, and only need re-pointing to strengthen them. Tilekilns Bridge carries the B722 road, which formed the main access route from the M74 to the now-decommissioned Chapelcross Nuclear Power Station, and as a result it bore the weight of heavy lorries carrying Nuclear Flasks from Chapelcross to Sellafield. Despite never being designed for such loads, with some minor work in the 1980's, it bore them with no ill effects......

  • @BigSmellyRangey
    @BigSmellyRangey Před 3 lety +33

    Done the same to lots of the bridges around here. Once it's lost, it's lost, and so many people just don't care. Very sad.
    So much of our heritage and our built environment is just bulldozed because of laziness and wilful ignorance. Boils mine.

  • @chazzyb8660
    @chazzyb8660 Před 3 lety +27

    My dad used to work for a man called Ernest Marples. He was the Minister of Transport, who commissioned a Dr Beeching to report on the railway network. He also ran, and this is where my dad comes in, a firm of civil engineers which just happened to be particularly interested in building roads, more especially a new form of road called a motorway. Do I need to say any more…

    • @hairyairey
      @hairyairey Před 3 lety +4

      Maybe that HS2 can be the rail motorway we've never had to increase capacity across the entire network? It amazes me that that Green party opposes it but you almost never hear of them opposing a road building scheme!

    • @johnpirie4804
      @johnpirie4804 Před 3 lety +4

      Marples was a crook, investigated for tax evasion, equal only to the current government in crookedness

    • @paulprescott7913
      @paulprescott7913 Před 3 lety +1

      Indeed, history blames Dicky Beeching.

    • @CL-vz6ch
      @CL-vz6ch Před 2 lety +2

      Follow the money...

    • @CL-vz6ch
      @CL-vz6ch Před 2 lety

      @@johnpirie4804 that's a high bar..,

  • @Teddystream.
    @Teddystream. Před 3 lety +51

    I have said for years that legislation is needed to protect transport infrastructure and stop building permanently on things like railway routes as it causes issues when it is needed in the future.

    • @Simon_Nonymous
      @Simon_Nonymous Před 3 lety +1

      Teddy, completely agree. So many great projects that re-use old railway lines eg the Newcastle Metro or Manchester's Metrolink would have been scuppered if old lines had been infilled. My local authority has re-opened as much of the Rawtenstall-Bacup line as still exists, and we love having it.

    • @neiloflongbeck5705
      @neiloflongbeck5705 Před 3 lety

      @@Simon_Nonymous how much of the Newcastle Metro and Mancester Metrolink was built on ex BR tracks and now much was reinstated?

    • @leswallace2426
      @leswallace2426 Před 3 lety

      BRILLIANT SUGGESTION!!! Nothing has been learned from hundreds of miles of canal that had to be restored at huge expense because they were filled in or built over.

    • @neiloflongbeck5705
      @neiloflongbeck5705 Před 3 lety

      @@leswallace2426 what about the canals that became railways and were later closed and reused? What do we return them into?

    • @leswallace2426
      @leswallace2426 Před 3 lety

      @@neiloflongbeck5705 Whatever the best option is, NOT impacting on ALL options by poorly thought out projects.

  • @andyhill242
    @andyhill242 Před 3 lety +5

    I've signed the petition. 🙂
    Personally, I would rate Brunel above Churchill in the list of greatest Britons.

    • @andyhill242
      @andyhill242 Před 3 lety +1

      Sadly, or perhaps luckily, there are no at-risk structures in my area.

    • @pwhitewick
      @pwhitewick  Před 3 lety

      Good call.

    • @highpath4776
      @highpath4776 Před 3 lety

      @@pwhitewick Can GM put this out on his channel (plus he has a few friends in NR which although not under present rail situations , some look like they could be.) You will also find quite a few Heritage Railways have consulting engineers in their contacts, or councils, that have experience of dealing with structures in their operations or work life that would give a suitable opinion on the respected weights carried. Can the barrel vaulting of this bridge be technically explained as to the ability of the arch to stand up (when correctly maintained)

  • @richardsimpson3792
    @richardsimpson3792 Před 3 lety +7

    The bridges of the Somerset and Dorset Railway, including the famous 'Arches' and Stour river bridge at Blandford were taken down after the railway closed. It old railway is now a cycleway, but is disrupted by the missing bridges.
    It would be good if the same mistake could be avoided elsewhere.

  • @jwillisbarrie
    @jwillisbarrie Před 3 lety +10

    Thanks for taking time to add actual captions for the Deaf - makes video much easier to watch

  • @nesleinf
    @nesleinf Před 3 lety +1

    Lovely to see that someone cares about our past. I'm danish - living in Denmark, but your history is mine as well. So a great thank you from me too 👍

  • @MyBohemianDreams
    @MyBohemianDreams Před 3 lety +11

    In the States, we would be looking to see how big a kickback is being given to the people making the decision to spend the money.

  • @calxtra5361
    @calxtra5361 Před 3 lety +6

    Outrageous considering the history behind these structures ... signed and shared on my twitter

  • @nbc_uk
    @nbc_uk Před 3 lety +14

    Just laughing at some of the proposals near me. Leeds Bridge (52.776080, 1.053796) - a farm track over a closed line with no public access. Potential risk, zero. Two M&GN bridges on minor roads that are more solidly built than my house - and with no scope of ever seeing a lorry. One on a line protected in county planning policy as a protected rail corridor, and on a line with two active schemes to restore it. Absolute idiocy. Makes Hancock look like a straight shooter.

  • @dinmorejunctionmodelrailway

    Your best video by far. I can't thank you both and Graeme enough for informing the world for this wonton vandalism by Highways England. Petition signed. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to take part. 🚂🚃🚃🚃

  • @edricketts6887
    @edricketts6887 Před 3 lety +12

    Wow! thank you for raising awareness. I had no idea this was happening, terrible waste of great Civil Engineering.

    • @kipsome45
      @kipsome45 Před 3 lety +1

      …and public money. State-sponsored vandalism, nothing less.

  • @camberweller
    @camberweller Před 3 lety +52

    It becomes more comprehensible when you lose the naive assumption that the people doing this are just heartless or misguided or in error. 115 unnecessary projects means lifetime employment for hundreds of civil servants, and millions of pounds going to political donor construction and engineering companies, and hundreds of construction jobs for workers who remember you when they vote.

    • @senojbdet
      @senojbdet Před 3 lety +14

      I think that your comment strikes at the heart of what Highways England is doing!!! When there seems to be no reason for what is happening then you can be sure that SOMEONE is gaining!!!!!!!!

    • @chrisp7570
      @chrisp7570 Před 3 lety +8

      Exactly how it’s done here in the US, while the highways are full of potholes that there seems to be no money to repair.

    • @koolerking440
      @koolerking440 Před 3 lety +2

      They are box tickers. Have to look like they’re busy, gets them their next years budget.

    • @coldblue9mm
      @coldblue9mm Před 3 lety +2

      So if you pay your taxes, and the government spends that money foolishly, it's okay as long as you get some of that money yourself? That's ridiculous. Taxpayers are smarter than that. At least I hope they are.

    • @TheErador
      @TheErador Před 3 lety +2

      @@coldblue9mm they're really not.

  • @RossMaynardProcessExcellence

    Forgotten Relics is a very interesting channel and Graeme's dry sarcasm is very enjoyable.

  • @HenrysAdventures
    @HenrysAdventures Před 2 lety

    My nearest is that bridge at Horspath and I'm so pleased the residents have shown Highways England that its a piece of history they don't want to see needlessly lost. I also have a personal connection to that bridge as my Grandmother used to pass over in on the train as a child when on her way to from Denham to Alverscot to see her Grandparents.

  • @cdl0
    @cdl0 Před 3 lety +4

    South West Railways are also infilling all bridges wherever they can. The finished result is a massive concrete sarcophagus, built with not the slightest regard for the local landscape.
    Bizarrely, although you saw no heavy vehicles, they are becoming increasingly common. Huge, overloaded 50-ton and more articulated HGVs use these roads more often than you might expect, plus agricultural vehicles have now grown as large as houses, so we get 16-ton tractors hauling huge trailers loaded up to the top with tens of tons of stuff. They often get stuck, and cause huge damage to everything.

    • @chazzyb8660
      @chazzyb8660 Před 3 lety +1

      Yes, and that would be down to the poor use of Sat-nav. Shave half a mile off your route, and end up in a leafy lane which - though useful for local traffic - is no use for such vehicles. It happened on a single track lane which ran past my house in Great Kingshill, down to Bryants Bottom (Bucks). There was an agricultural suppliers at the bottom of the largely sunken lane, and it came up on Sat-nav as a cut through. But not suitable for anything more than passing small vehicles. The main roads were perfectly adequate, but lorries got stuck in the lane on a regular basis.

    • @cdl0
      @cdl0 Před 3 lety

      @@chazzyb8660 I think it is mainly down to stupidity, putting vast, oversize loads on a single vehicle with a clueless driver who doesn't know the area, to save money on a delivery, instead of dividing it into smaller amounts. Signage warning drivers has absolutely no effect; they even ignore compulsory limits on dimensions.

    • @chazzyb8660
      @chazzyb8660 Před 3 lety +1

      I can't disagree with you.

  • @nickbrearey5702
    @nickbrearey5702 Před 3 lety

    Many thanks Paul and Rebecca. Great video! I had no idea this was going on. Since watching, I have signed up on Change.org and written to my MP. She replied to say she has contacted Grant Shapps. This vandalism has been the subject of a couple of articles in the national press in the recent days. However, I am not very optimistic, Highways England seems to have no accountability, doesn't report to anyone and can't be controlled by the DfT. Thanks again for bringing this to the surface.

  • @milowadlin
    @milowadlin Před 3 lety +4

    I am not a British citizen, but my ancestors are from Launceton, Saltash, St. Stephens, et al. This is my heritage being destroyed. It is my connection with Cornwall, which means a lot to me.

  • @steves009
    @steves009 Před 3 lety +2

    Hi from New Zealand. Enjoying your videos

  • @MichaelDisney
    @MichaelDisney Před 3 lety +4

    Paul and Rebecca, I hope you didn't miss the bridge in Splatt (near "Lanson" in North Cornwall), on which you can see the outlines of an old station in a lovely garden! I hope you do something on the Bude canal and the 4 (5) boat ramps getting it near Launceston one day. I've worked out all the locations, if you need any info!

  • @JimTLonW6
    @JimTLonW6 Před 3 lety +12

    Well if they want to do something with an historic structure that needs attention there's that Hammersmith Bridge, which is deemed to be in such a state that even pedestrians and cyclists aren't allowed to use it; not only that, boats aren't allowed to go under it. It's required attention for years, and it's a busy A class road.

    • @rhowe212
      @rhowe212 Před 3 lety

      I think they should propose infilling it

    • @skylarius3757
      @skylarius3757 Před 3 lety

      It is being reopened soon, but the problem with the bridge is as to who should pay for it the mayor, the council or the government.

  • @3fmnorge
    @3fmnorge Před 3 lety

    These bridges are cultural treasures. Destroying these is a betrayal of the cultural heritage throughout the world, not just in the UK!
    Greetings from Norway!

  • @malcolmsmith6615
    @malcolmsmith6615 Před 3 lety +2

    This is a tricky one. Highways England are likely to be driven by corporate process, and Graham (Graeme?) is clearly driven by passion. What is needed is a genuine independent party who can look at all the figures and everyone’s arguments and cases and come to a meaningful recommendation.
    By the way, Network Rail have an obvious reason to spend (often serious) money to keep bridges in safe order, but saying that they do sometimes demolish bridges or remove spans when they cease to have a practical use.
    Like everything in the world, it has to be paid for and it’s often hard to convince someone else to fund it.
    I’ll certainly sign the petition and I sincerely hope something sensible results from it.

    • @simontay4851
      @simontay4851 Před 3 lety

      But what is stupid is that infilling costs more than just repointing/repairing a brick or stone bridge. Graham said in the video. Would cost 5,000 (even that figure is ridiculous, repointing some mortar doesn't need to cost that much).

    • @highpath4776
      @highpath4776 Před 3 lety

      @@simontay4851 it seems Govt/s judge projects on the amount spent, rather than the value or efficiency of that spending, sometimes more money would deliver a better outcome, sometimes less to achieve a more realistic outcome. I dont know how this can be solved

  • @richardstrong293
    @richardstrong293 Před 3 lety +5

    There’s an old road bridge across the GCR cutting in the village where I live that they backfilled 25yrs ago .. they dug it back out 3 hrs ago as the infill was pushing the bridge over so Infilling is a complete waste of time and money 😏

  • @gilles111
    @gilles111 Před 3 lety +8

    "Some guy, Ise, Isembart something, Brun, Brunnel?" Greame for president! LOL

    • @highpath4776
      @highpath4776 Před 3 lety +1

      Isembart sounds like a good name for a Cornish Cheese

  • @benblakey5607
    @benblakey5607 Před 3 lety +2

    Thank you Paul and Rebecca for covering this abhorrent vandalism by HE. Hopefully this will make a significant impact on raising awareness and putting a stop to it. I will share this on Tracing the MSWJR

  • @TheCelts01
    @TheCelts01 Před 3 lety +5

    Great vid we have Supported the petition with 100 pounds. You could do more vids over this Subjekt because what are we loosing for Heritige everyday. May be you could do a campain for more bridges and Heritige. Lot of love your Nr1 Fan Club Hamburg Germany.

  • @nbc_uk
    @nbc_uk Před 3 lety +24

    Highways England might want to look at the state of their highways first. Mind you, what numpty junior MP thought they were a logical body to look after railway assets?

    • @Sarge084
      @Sarge084 Před 3 lety +1

      If it's a disused line it's not a railway asset so Highways England are responsible for the maintenance of the bridges. If it were an active railway it would be the responsibility of Network Rail or the heritage railway operating the line.
      So basically Highways England don't want to maintain the bridges.

    • @nbc_uk
      @nbc_uk Před 3 lety

      @@Sarge084 Except that some of these aren't even on roads, and the issue is that residual land and structures have been given to bodies not capable of managing them.

    • @Sarge084
      @Sarge084 Před 3 lety

      @@nbc_uk Which ones don't either have a road bridge over them, or a disused rail bridge over them?

  • @dereham1
    @dereham1 Před 3 lety

    Top man, Graham. Thanks for your commitment. Petition signed and looking now to support local structures.

  • @truckerreacts6056
    @truckerreacts6056 Před 3 lety +2

    Signed the petition and shared on my Twitter

  • @michaelcampin1464
    @michaelcampin1464 Před 3 lety +4

    When I lived in Cranham just outside Upminster on the very very end of the District line the bridge over St Marys Lane and Front Lane used to struck regularly by heavy juggernauts but nothing has been done after about 55 years.

  • @Jakob_DK
    @Jakob_DK Před 3 lety +1

    I live in Denmark and on our last trip to UK, we visited Kirby Steven, Appleby and London.

  • @adamprice9214
    @adamprice9214 Před 3 lety +1

    Hi guy's, I found it mad I only see a video of yours for the 1st time a week ago on the proposed tunnels to the Isle of wight.. I live in fareham on the South Coast a stone throw from where you were.
    I liked and subscribed then I receive this video as a suggestion and it started out at Launceston where I lived for say 4 years.. small world 🌎
    Love the videos, keep up the good work and help save our beautiful historic monuments & structures 👍👌😃

  • @MrJezza31
    @MrJezza31 Před 3 lety

    Thank you SO much for sharing and helping with this campaign, you are helping no-end!

  • @robertward1701
    @robertward1701 Před 3 lety

    Signed and shared. Very passionate about this.

  • @TekeHorse
    @TekeHorse Před 3 lety

    I fully agree w/ purposing especially if it helps the environment. Where I live in the States, there was a old disused railway line that the local community (not mine) and country tore up and repurposed it for cycling, hiking, horseback riding, etc. Took a long time, but got it done.

  • @ggm02
    @ggm02 Před rokem +2

    I haven't included a direct link to a news item, but it looks like there is some success as National Highways are working to remove the concrete under the arch of the bridge in Great Musgrave.

  • @paull2613
    @paull2613 Před 2 lety

    Well Done for highlighting all this Thank you

  • @MrJasdog107
    @MrJasdog107 Před 3 lety

    Just seen your name in Mailonline totally agree with you on this matter these bridges should be maintained they are part of our industrial heritage and should be kept in safe usable condition.

  • @gaugeonesteam
    @gaugeonesteam Před 3 lety

    Brilliant Video! I too had no idea this was happening. For sure these bridges should be saved and re-pointed. A beautiful local one near me over the river stour (Wimborne station approach) was blown up with dynamite many years ago. Saving even bits of old routes is important. Of course they can become part of future routes. (imagine the amount of planning that went into building these routes in the first place). More houses being built, more electric bikes and mopeds. growing population using existing infrastructure. etc, etc. Well done Paul, Rebecca & Graeme. Yes, I'll sign the petition.

  • @MrGreatplum
    @MrGreatplum Před 3 lety +16

    There’s so much wrong with what Highways England is proposing here; whether it’s the financial implications of wasting money, the environmental impact or the wanton destruction of perfectly serviceable historic structures - it’s appalling…
    On a complete side note, is Graham the long lost brother to Professor Chris Whitty? 😀 (especially the photo at the start!)

  • @phillunn4691
    @phillunn4691 Před 3 lety

    A great video again Paul and Rebecca. It really opened my eyes and made me realise how the Highways department wants to get rid of these great historic structures, when in effect, there’s nothing wrong with them. Keep up the good work with the videos. Look forward to next week’s one.

  • @Simon_Nonymous
    @Simon_Nonymous Před 3 lety

    Petition signed and shared to Facebook. Good use of sarcasm here by the way - so very British.

  • @rogerbarton497
    @rogerbarton497 Před 3 lety +1

    Infill won't support a bridge unless it exerts an upwards force on it. If the bridge is weak it will settle onto the infill, so remedial work will have to done anyway.

  • @mitchyk
    @mitchyk Před 2 lety

    Signed! Good luck with this all. I used to cycle an old railway route in leicester, but since moving south there isn't really anything like that round here. Oh and i had a stroke so not really bike riding anywhere!

  • @DavidFrankal
    @DavidFrankal Před 3 lety +6

    Might be a stupid question, but the map also includes bridges in Scotland and Wales. Who is proposing to infill/demolish these bridges?

  • @amandachapman4708
    @amandachapman4708 Před 3 lety +1

    I've signed the petition. And looked at the map. I shall check out the one in Devizes which is currently my closest (I live on a boat and travel around).

  • @Steve_Wardley_G6JEF
    @Steve_Wardley_G6JEF Před 3 lety

    Great video to watch and to see Gream again, love his channel too. Petition signed, contribution made.

  • @davegillman6296
    @davegillman6296 Před 2 lety

    Well done for pointing this out ,I’m bloody livid

  • @Jack-xi8ji
    @Jack-xi8ji Před 3 lety +1

    This is the first that I've heard of this and I'm somewhat taken aback by it. This is so shortsighted it's beyond words. Looking at the map a local bridge to me under threat sits over the track bed of the disused part of the Bluebell line. If the bridge at Barcombe was to be filled in then it would be a major spanner in the works if that heritage line was to be expand south back towards Lewes.

  • @johnm2012
    @johnm2012 Před 3 lety

    In signed the petition and donated. Thanks for raising awareness of this problem.

  • @janinapalmer8368
    @janinapalmer8368 Před 2 lety

    Lifton station was built to allow milk carrying trains to offload at the factory right there and out of which comes Ambrosia creamed rice tins ! I can even buy them here in my local Woolies supermarket!!

  • @rogerbradbury9713
    @rogerbradbury9713 Před 2 lety

    A bit late to this party, but my local ones are a bridge in Buckinghamshire; "Cowley Farm, Claydon Junction, Bucks". There is no public access and it will be adjacent to a cutting for the HS2 line. Next nearest is "Cockwell Farm Road" near Banbury. Neither of these have any barriers to reuse. Worst of all near me is a bridge at Cardington, South of Bedford. The council plan to use the disused railway as a country walk. I've signed the petition, and I'll share it, too.

  • @Randomstuffs261
    @Randomstuffs261 Před 3 lety +8

    Sounds like Highways England could do with spending some of their infilling budget on acquiring an employee with a working brain

  • @shaunbc9279
    @shaunbc9279 Před 3 lety

    Another good information video. Signed

  • @jerviservi
    @jerviservi Před 3 lety +3

    While I do partially agree with avoiding infilling some bridges, I'm going to say with some certainty that most of these bridges will never have any purpose and are not fit to carry the min.44(?) tonne expectation of a public road.
    So for that reason *most* of these infillings/demolitions I'd agree with to minimise risk to public safety as well as reducing on-going costs. However where there is even a slight hint at a heritage railway or new cycle/foot trail using the old railway alignment, then effort should be made to ensure the bridges remain.
    Also I'm confused at how Highways England became responsible for these old bridges, surely the local highway authority should be responsible for these bridges on their road network, or the private land owner if on private land.

    • @andrewyoung749
      @andrewyoung749 Před 3 lety

      at a guess, the bridges were part of the BR estate. when that was wound down something called British Railways Board (Residual) was set up to handle disposal of assets/tidying up. ended in 2001 or similar.
      so its not beyond imagining that one government body in BRB(R) handed its roadway assets to another part of HMG that was responsible for the roads ie Highways England or whatever they where called that week.

    • @highpath4776
      @highpath4776 Před 3 lety

      Was it not an EU Dictact to raise the (strategic?) road capability to 44tonnes ? Now we have left europe that is not a directive we need to follow. (take back control?)

  • @davependrill2897
    @davependrill2897 Před 3 lety +2

    Excellent video. Please come down to st agnes station, my brother in law has a hair salon in the station office.

  • @ReubenAshwell
    @ReubenAshwell Před 3 lety +1

    I've signed the petition. :) I could only find 3 of these structures in Leicestershire where I live on the map and they've been marked as "No obstructions to reuse". Not been to them myself but I can see potential for reuse for these bridges.

  • @lapiswake6583
    @lapiswake6583 Před 3 lety +2

    Shocking. I'll sign the petition now. This is not acceptable, financially or historically or economically.

  • @welshboyoo715
    @welshboyoo715 Před 3 lety +8

    Anyone asked if any ministers hold jobs/board positions with the contractors for HSE? Jobs for the boys Boris?

  • @shaunosborn702
    @shaunosborn702 Před 3 lety +1

    paul and rebecca i would like to recommend a visit to the old nine arch railway bridge on the midland and southwest junction railway at cerny wick this bridge was shut to traffic becouse it was so weak rather than knock it down they have restored it and reopened the road and it looks fantastic

    • @pwhitewick
      @pwhitewick  Před 3 lety +1

      Cheers Shaun. Been a few times now. Check out our Every Disused Station video from the line. 👍

  • @petertrevena804
    @petertrevena804 Před 3 lety

    SIgned the petition. History must be saved. I would build a steel skeleton to support the bridge.

  • @shirleylynch7529
    @shirleylynch7529 Před 3 lety +1

    That was really interesting. So sad at what is happening to these bridges and structures. Let’s hope the powers that be listen. Thank you for sharing this info with us.

  • @secretsquirrel6124
    @secretsquirrel6124 Před 2 lety

    It's like the gravestone topple test scandle of the 80s and 90s

  • @MM0IMC
    @MM0IMC Před 3 lety +5

    I think it's sacrilegious that an entity designed to promote roads, has anything to do with old railway bridge and tunnel maintenance!
    History repeating itself?!?

  • @grahamlavers8128
    @grahamlavers8128 Před 3 lety +3

    Petition signed, while I have no weak etc bridges near me, I get upset with the way railway buildings are left to fall apart because local authorities think its easier to let them fall down. My own personal ne is the Mechanics Institute in Swindon which was built by the GWR for its workers in the railway works.

  • @dixiedean1955
    @dixiedean1955 Před 3 lety

    There's a bridge over the West Coast Main Line to Liverpool, not a mile from my house, that has a 7.5 tonnes limit due to it being weak. Despite having 4 railway lines beneath and carrying a main connection onto a dual carriageway, neither @HighwaysEngland nor Knowsley Council appear to be making any effort to rebuild it.

  • @lordnevets9184
    @lordnevets9184 Před 3 lety +1

    Petition signed.

  • @malcolmbarnes6032
    @malcolmbarnes6032 Před 3 lety

    Hi I was in Lifton last week and went past Coryton station, pity I missed you both. I also visited Lydford, Tavistock South and Brentor(which is a gem). Like you guys I love old stations etc. Highways England also defend Smart Motorways, so that sums them up. I always thought that Network Rail were responsible for all railway bridges including closed lines, but I guess not.

  • @v88krb
    @v88krb Před 3 lety

    We have a bridge on Station Road in Westbury which has had a 7.5 ton weight limit in place for the last 4 years and it will cause major disruption to the town when either it fails significantly or it is closed for replacement. Meanwhile the main bus services are rerouted away from a significant railway station and centre for employment.

  • @raytheron
    @raytheron Před 3 lety

    Signed and shared the petition!

  • @southwesttrainspotter
    @southwesttrainspotter Před 3 lety +1

    I was in north Cornwall in early june

  • @Sim0nTrains
    @Sim0nTrains Před 3 lety

    Looking on the map the closet one for me is Bramshall Tunnel near Uttoxeter. Think that is on the former Great Northern Railway's line from Stafford to Uttoxeter. But it is a shame that infilling tunnel and bridges that could be useful for the future and after hearing what Graeme said about the Stainmore Railway and the Eden Valley Railway's idea of a 11 mile long heritage line, I agree that Tourism would bloom! Great video.

  • @markholttum
    @markholttum Před 3 lety

    Petition signed and shared

  • @wendy4558
    @wendy4558 Před 3 lety

    Just read the article and seen the picture in Daily Mail online about the tunnel in Great Musgrave Cumbria that they have filled up with concrete. It's shocking.

  • @Simon-ui6db
    @Simon-ui6db Před 3 lety +1

    What they wanted to remove horsepath bridge? Used to play up there as a kid in the late 80s early 90s. Nice to see in the Oxford Mail it was saved.

  • @raytheron
    @raytheron Před 3 lety +2

    I do hope people everywhere will jump into the fray and stop this bureaucratic chicanery. Good luck, HRE!

  • @christinecrockford1654

    Changing the subject of falling down bridges, in next village to me in charmouth dorset there is a really old river crossing bridge that has a sign on it saying " if u foul this bridge your be deported for life " lol

  • @Juniper458
    @Juniper458 Před 3 lety

    My local structure is MMR/2333, i believe its called the magdalen viaduct as it is located between the villiges of magdalen and watlington, i know it well as it is only about 8 miles away from a little town called downham market where I live. Me and my friends usually hang out on that bridge and have a small bbq and a couple of beers on a summer evening. And its a shame that it is flagged up as no realistic value. Occasionally people use it such as dog walkers and people who walk along the the river great ouse to cross to the other side. Im sure if it was connected by a more substantial pathway the footfall would increase, only then would it have its value increased i would like to think. Would be much more beneficial to the locals rather than just letting it rot away.

  • @davie941
    @davie941 Před 3 lety

    hi paul and rebecca , great interesting video , well done and thank you guys :)

  • @id70b40
    @id70b40 Před 3 lety +1

    Petition signed

  • @gibbo9089
    @gibbo9089 Před 3 lety +2

    Signed!

  • @a11csc
    @a11csc Před 3 lety

    just sounds about right

  • @4tonyg4
    @4tonyg4 Před 3 lety

    I wonder if the Ministry of Transport have a policy on destroying the railways left over from Ernest Marples days? Publicly we call the destruction of the Railways as the Beeching cuts but in reality they were the Marples cuts. He was the Minister of Transport who oversaw the building of roads by his and his friends companies. Also the building of homes across former Railway lines.
    In order to achieve the wholesale rail closures an act of Parliament was required, is the on going destruction of Railway Property still a part of any remaining clauses of that Act that need to be annulled by another act of Parliament?
    TonyG

  • @simonbennett9687
    @simonbennett9687 Před 3 lety

    Surely even if you infill the bridge the parapets are still susceptible to being damaged by road vehicles so the bridge still needs a regime of inspection and possibly some repair anyway.

  • @East_Anglian
    @East_Anglian Před 3 lety

    This bridge made it onto GB News last night - 3rd July 21. They showed it filled in with ugly concrete. A brief summary of the HE plan to repeat this all over, and some criticism of the scheme (scam?) by the sitting panel. Hopefully it attracts a little more opprobrium now.

  • @johnm2012
    @johnm2012 Před 3 lety

    Alnwick Bridge at 5:55 is such a beautiful example of a skew arch. It should not be infilled but visited and photographed.

  • @dalem1140
    @dalem1140 Před 3 lety

    Signed and shared👍

  • @vulgivagu
    @vulgivagu Před 3 lety +1

    Government now holding inquiry into the in filling of these bridges by Highways England. I have no doubt at all that your video was solely responsible for that !

  • @tinplategeek1058
    @tinplategeek1058 Před 3 lety

    Signed and shared.

  • @Milamberinx
    @Milamberinx Před 2 lety +1

    It's quite odd seeing you visiting Launceston, my home town.

  • @ldnwholesale8552
    @ldnwholesale8552 Před 3 lety

    It is quite obvious that most of these bridges need maintenance and nothing more. Getting rid of all that creeper would help a lot, keeping the undersides clear etc.
    That steel farmers bridge though may well be no good though in reality the approaches are probably ok. Remove and build a new one would probably be no more expensive than under filling it

  • @soundhobo
    @soundhobo Před 3 lety +1

    I’d be grateful if Highways England stuck to infilling potholes. In filling bridges??? That’s madness.

  • @reburdoc4647
    @reburdoc4647 Před 3 lety +1

    Incompetence everywhere from Westminster to Highways England >> There were two bridges near me sorted with steel reinforcing sprayed with concrete 10 cm thick >> Less concrete less co2

  • @chrism7969
    @chrism7969 Před 3 lety

    Heavy lorries tend to be quite wide. If it's not on a road that is used by large lorries then why not narrow the roadway so that only smaller and lighter vehicles can pass. A traffic calming measure such as a cichane on either side of the bridge would achieve this.