Victorian swing bridge vehicle ban extended

A Victorian swing bridge in the north of the Isle of Man is likely to remain closed until the middle of the summer.

The Ramsey Swing Bridge was shut to traffic in late January by the Department of Infrastructure (DOI) for inspections to be carried out and repairs arranged.

The DOI said that had found was a hole in the deck of the causeway at the northern approach to the bridge where the timber deck had rotted.

"While the structure can safely bear the weight of pedestrian traffic, it would be unsafe to allow vehicles to run over the surface," it said.

While the hole was "still relatively small" surrounding timber was "also rotten".

Work to design a solution that was "sympathetic to the age of the structure and for repairs to match original materials" was taking place, the DOI said.

But until that was completed it was "impractical and unsafe to reopen for vehicular traffic until the work is undertaken", it added.

The bridge remains open to pedestrians and cyclists, as well as operating to facilitate access for boats to Ramsey's inner harbour.

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