What a 10-year bridge shambles says about building in Britain
The £10m railway crossing saga was caused by relentless subcontracting, miles of red tape and wrangles over who pays the bills
The Sunday Times
In November 2009, the wettest month in nearly a century, the town of Workington in Cumbria was split in two. The Derwent burst its banks and swept away the town’s two main river crossings, leaving 21,000 residents with a 14-mile round trip to the other side. Yet Workington was bridgeless for less than a month.
A mere 18 days after the storm, the army planned, started and finished building a new 52-metre footbridge. Royal Engineers worked day and night through rain and freezing winds. On December 7, Barker’s Crossing — named after a police constable who died in the storm — was opened.
It is a triumphant tale of British construction — but one that does not go down well at Theale in Berkshire. Last
