Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Minister of Transport and Civil Avation what are the technical considerations which lead to greater efficiency and economy being achieved if the construction of the Severn Bridge is properly phased with that of the Forth Bridge; and what other bridge schemes can be included in this combined operation.
§ Mr. WatkinsonBecause of the magnitude and original character of the work a special organisation, a consortium of three major steel bridge building firms has been created for the sole purpose of building the Forth and the Severn bridges, which are practically identical in122W structure. Much of the work, such as the erection of the towers, the spinning of cables and the clamping and wrapping of the cables, is highly specialised. This requires the training of skilled men in teams and the use of expensive and specialised plant. It is essential that these teams and the plant be kept intact and transferred at the appropriate times from their operations on the one bridge to the same operations on the other. These considerations apply only to the building of large-span suspension bridges. No other such bridge of similar magnitude is contemplated in the current road programme.