Please provide the following information relating to the inspection and safety of bridges managed by your council over the past three calendar years (2022, 2023, and 2024):
1. The total number of bridges under your council’s ownership or responsibility. For this request, a bridge is defined as any structure designed to carry a road, path, or other route over a physical obstacle such as water, a railway,
a road, or a valley, and with a span of 1.5 metres or more.
3,448 (based on the number of inspections being carried out)
2. The number of bridge inspections carried out per year (2022-2024), including a breakdown by:
– General visual inspections (GI)
– Principal inspections (PI)
– Special inspections (e.g. following flood events or accidents) (SI)
Please refer to the table below:
| Year | GI | PI | SI | Total |
| 2022 | 1,545 | 53 | 0 | 1,598 |
| 2023 | 1,155 | 21 | 17 | 1,193 |
| 2024 | 1,430 | 3 | 0 | 1,433 |
3. The number of bridges found to be structurally unsafe during inspections in each of the three years.
0
4. Of those deemed unsafe, how many:
– Were closed to traffic or pedestrians
– Required immediate repairs
– Are still awaiting repair as of the date of this request
N/A
5. Any funding received or applied for from central government or other sources specifically to support bridge repair or safety enhancements during this period.
Funding is currently being sought for the replacement of the two opening bridges on Exeter canal. Funding has also been secured for a new pedestrian/cycleway bridge replacement known as Mallison Bridge, Exeter. Annually, the County Council allocates Capital funding towards bridge maintenance and repairs.