Moylinn bridge update
Since the bridge at Moylinn was demolished in 2023 there have been numerous Freedom on Information requests to the Department for Infrastructure to try and understand why it was demolished.
Clicker counts.
A clicker count of the footbridge was carried out between late August ‘22 and mid December ‘22 - to determine how busy/popular the bridge was in the area. Daily crossings rarely dipped below 100 – with the highest daily rate being 733. No other bridges were counted during that time.
Other bridge surveys
On surveys of the other bridges on the Black Paths:
“information is held, however, the Department is unable to release the information because of the burden that it would place on staff resources is considered to be manifestly unreasonable.”
This indicates that the Department do hold information on the condition of other bridges on the network. It’s hard to know whether any other bridges are at risk.
Bridge testing & costs
A cost analysis report was not completed but the Department’s consultant recommended a significant amount of complicated, destructive and disruptive testing:
“was estimated to be £145,000 however this did not include for example the cost of temporary traffic management, reinstatement of the openings to the structure or removal and replacement of the bridge surface layers. It is estimated that the total cost of testing alone, including making good the ‘damage’ caused by the testing would have exceeded £200,000.”
Detailed survey
A copy of the consultant’s survey is available to read
Cost to test and repair the bridge
The Department were asked for information about the cost of repairing the bridge:
“Conservatively any repairs are likely to have cost at least several hundred thousand pounds on top of the testing costs, potentially with limited return to extend its life.”
Cost of demolition
The Department were asked for the total cost of demolition:
“The cost of the demolition was approximately £124,000”.