Castle Cornet bridge still in need of repair

Monitoring is expected to cost about £90,000 a year until the bridge is made fully safe again. But the States’ Trading Supervisory Board, which is responsible for the harbour, is uncertain when repairs will begin.

Harbour officials marked the project as ‘a high priority’ as far back as 2017. And the States was told nearly two years ago that the bridge was ‘deteriorating rapidly’ and that ‘without action, there will cease to be access to Castle Cornet’.

But construction work still seems a long way from starting.

There are already restrictions on use of the bridge and harbour officials now expect the speed of corrosion to accelerate.

‘Although there is no visible mobilisation of plant and equipment on site yet, the project has been under way for some time,’ said ports commercial manager Doug Wright.

‘As with any project of this nature involving extensive structural repairs or rehabilitation, a thorough condition assessment is required, so that options can then be assessed.

‘We are currently at that phase and we still have to undertake the design stage, establish the likely costs and receive budget approval before tendering for a contractor can happen.

‘While we cannot say with any certainty when repair work is likely to commence, the project is progressing.’

The current Government Work Plan, published by the Policy & Resources Committee in May 2022, stated that construction was anticipated to start this year and indicated the project could last until the end of 2025.

If monitoring costs remain as anticipated until then, the total cost of monitoring deterioration without completing repairs would climb to around £650,000 across three States’ terms.

The bridge is a steel-reinforced concrete structure supported on granite piers. In 2021, the public was warned not to go under it because of an increased risk of falling concrete. Some of the steel is now exposed.

‘The priority has been to maintain safe access for pedestrians and certain types of vehicle, primarily to go to and from the castle for events or other requirements, while a cost-effective long-term solution and funding requirement is identified,’ said Mr Wright.

A specialist firm has installed sensors to monitor deterioration, carries out annual inspections and takes samples of damaged concrete as well as assessing options for repair or replacing the bridge. This work has allowed limited use of the bridge in recent years.

‘Only specific vehicles are permitted to cross. These have been assessed based on their gross weight, axle load and wheel spacing,’ said Mr Wright.

‘Given the age of the structure and the constant exposure to the marine environment, the condition of both the concrete and steel reinforcement has deteriorated to the extent that we are having to monitor it to maintain safe access.’

Officials at Castle Cornet, which is the responsibility of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, have become accustomed to working with access constraints.

‘Day to day, there is little impact. There are already some restrictions regarding the number of people allowed on the bridge at any one time, but it does not overly affect access and can be managed during larger events,’ said Helen Glencross, head of heritage services.