§ Mr. Robert Banksasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the criteria for inspecting road bridges to determine whether they are being affected by heavy lorries.
§ Mr. RidleyThe Department's system for the inspection of road bridges entails a general inspection of the representative parts of a bridge every two years and a principal inspection comprising the close examination of all parts of a bridge every six years. The Department's technical memorandum on the subject provides a list of all likely defects and damages that should be looked for and also a list of all the vulnerable parts of bridges that should be examined. A report is prepared after each inspection describing the conditions of the component parts of the bridge and identifying any need for repair work.