Purpose

The Principal Inspection carried out in December 2025 identified that Netham West Bridge was suffering from significant corrosion to the main structural girders. A subsequent inspection took place in October 2025 with the aim of quantifying the amount of section loss caused by significant corrosion and to subsequently investigate the best options for replacement or repair. A number of potential methods of strengthening the structure were considered but were deemed to be likely to transfer elsewhere in the structure, which would cause additional damage. Any augmentation of the existing structure would also have been costly, due the complexity, and only a short-term solution. As a consequence, and because Netham Bridge West is a primary route to the Eastern parts of the City and serves both commercial and residential needs, the structure needs to be replaced.

Decision

Approval to award contract and spend up to £1.4m on a replacement structure for Netham Bridge West.

Contract to be awarded to Walters who are the primary approved principal contractor under the Lot 8 Framework.

Alternative options considered

- Do nothing. The consequence of this will be failure of the structure at some point in the future with the potential for loss of life or injury to people.
- Close Netham West Bridge to vehicles. This would mean diverting all traffic to use Netham Bridge East. This is a busy primary junction and closure would cause significant travel disruption. Commercial HGV’s struggle to negotiate the tight turn from Feeder road onto the bridge and a replacement bridge will help to improve this right turn manoeuvre.
- Augmentation and strengthening of the existing structure. As mentioned above, the possibility of augmenting the existing structure was also considered. The nature of the structure and the constraints of the site mean that this would be relatively complex and costly to implement and would only offer a temporary fix.