Routine inspections of Chester’s 100-year-old Queens Park Suspension Bridge have revealed issues with the metal work resulting in protective scaffold being installed next week (26 June).
Regular inspections are carried out by Cheshire West and Chester Council’s engineers, there were no issues discovered during the 2013 loading tests or the 2020 visual inspection. This year’s inspection resulted in a structures report being commissioned after problems were seen on the bridge.
Councillor Karen Shore, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Transport said: “We need to ensure the safety of the public, and like all our bridges and structures, regular inspections take place to monitor it. This year issues have now been reported on the 100-year-old suspension bridge.
“To ensure popular events like the raft race on 2 July can still go ahead and to welcome spectators on the bridge, a team of experts has designed a system of temporary scaffolding that will be installed to strengthen the bridge and ensure public safety. The temporary scaffold is a tried and tested solution used on similar bridges. We are aware of the great work being done by Chester Grosvenor Round Table and the Rotary Club of Chester before them for staging the raft race. Our temporary work will ensure that the event goes ahead as planned.
“For the longer term we are also commissioning engineers to carry out a more detailed Category 3 structural assessment followed by a repair and conservation plan.”
The installation of scaffolding will commence on the 26 June and take up to five days, and during this time it is expected that the bridge will have to be closed. There will be a safety boat on the river during the work and river users may be required to change their navigation depending on the work taking place above.
The current Queens Park Suspension was designed by Mr Charles Greenwood, City Engineer and Surveyor. The bridge was opened by the Mayor of Chester, Councillor S. R. Wall, on 18 April 1923. There will be an event on the 8 and 9 July to celebrate the centenary of the bridge.
