Report damage or to a bridge or other highways structure

Telephone: 0845 8 506 506
(24-hour phoneline 7 days a week)

Online: by using our Highways problems reporting form

Structures in the District

Currently there are:-

• 214 Wakefield Council owned structures (bridges, culverts, footbridges, subways, sign gantries)
• 41 Network Rail owned bridges (carrying public highway over railway)
• 7 British Rail Property Board owned bridges (carrying public highway over disused railway)
• 8 British Waterways Board owned bridges (carrying public highway over canal)
• 4 privately owned bridges (carrying public highway over disused mineral lines)

Motorway bridges and structures within the district are the responsibility of the Highways Agency.

Bridges, which carry railway over public highway, are the responsibility of Network Rail.

Inspection of Wakefield Council owned highway structures

General inspections comprising a visual inspection of all readily accessible areas of each structure are undertaken on a two-year cycle with 50% of the structures being inspected in any one year.

Principal inspections comprising a close inspection of all areas of each structure are undertaken on 6 – 10 year cycle.

Special inspections of any structure or wall within the District are undertaken following receipt of a complaint/ notification of collapse or accident damage affecting the highway.

Assessment/Strengthening Programme

All Council owned structures have been assessed to determine their ability to carry the 40 tonne lorries that use the roads today.

A number of bridges were found to require strengthening as a result of the assessments.

The strengthening programme funded through the Local Transport Plan, has been ongoing for several years and is now nearing completion.

Bridges owned by Network Rail and British Rail Property Board have been assessed by the Council. A programme for carrying out the required strengthening work is ongoing.