The effect of bridge failures on UK technical policy and practice

The first part of this paper sets the scene for the growth of the road programme in the UK since 1950 and new additions to the existing stock of bridges. The second part describes the events that gave concern for the preservation of those bridges and the attention given to the policy and inspection procedures to safeguard the nation's existing stock. Tables describing the bridge stock, the principal factors influencing maintenance expenditure and the principal tasks are provided, together with concluding observations and acknowledgement of the great efforts of the bridge engineering community over the half-century covered.