Delays expected as Adlington Road closed for bridge investigation

Presumably concern over the condition of the bridge is a consequence of heavy volumes of traffic using the bridge and lorries exceeding the bridge's weight limit. Heavy lorries using the bridge are coming from or going to the developments along Adlington Road and further afield. Many ignore the weight limit on the bridge.

Varden Bridge - Grade 2 listed building, built of sandstone in the eighteenth century. The Bridge which shouldn't take heavy vehicles, but the signpost warning lorries of this is so close to the bridge that the lorries carrying cement etc can't turn round because the road is too narrow. The bridge which we were promised would not take heavy lorries, - that they would come in via Dean Row Road instead and travel down Adlington Road, - past the starred grade 2 listed building, the Dean Row Chapel, built in 1693.

Well, not unexpected.
When the Bollin Park development started, the number of overweight vehicles using Varden bridge was a large number. I contacted Cheshire East, not interested. I mentioned the signage from the direction of macclesfield Road was wrong, but, as God round here, they said it was correct. So then I rang the Police, and got their Call Centre. Well after a 15 minute runaround, with the most stupid questions asked for example re a lorry load of bricks, do they stay overnight? You can see why the crime rate is down. None of them have taken the slightest notice. What I have seen are Ibstock Brick Company, Stevens of Wilmslow, Wigan tippers and so on.
Also to add insult to injury, the latter 2 use Macclesfield Road, to take heavy loads to Airport City. Obviously CE have not the slightest interest in the bridge or safety in Adlington Road
Macclesfield Road's limit is around 4 tonnes

Weight increased on limit sign a few years back. Truck drivers will ignore anyway. Nowhere to turn. Unenforceable. Have the police ever stopped a truck and weighed it?

Poor old Adlington Road: it is assaulted on all fronts. It is clear the lorries use Vardon Bridge by the extensive build-up of mud in the gutters and on the pavements on BOTH sides of the entrance to Bollin Park. When the building work started, the road was swept daily but for the last eighteen months or so repeated requests to Jones to extend the cleaning beyond the new estate have been completely ignored in spite of the fact that the estate roads are regularly swept and in good order. I noticed yesterday that the gutters are blocked with mud and flooded. All this cannot be a good first impression for prospective purchasers arriving at Bollin Park - especially if they arrive in a clean car!

Add to that all the builders vehicles that will be going to the new flats on the site of Hillside Care Home and we might see the collapse of the bridge could be on the cards

Jon - I am concerned that part of our heritage might collapse too and it seems to me that is exactly what Cheshire East wants. That way they could construct a wider road by eating deeper into the Bollin Valley.

I asked Highways what the closure was for. The answer is that they need to investigate the precise location of all the services through the bridge together with the current condition on a sample basis. The good news is that the closure will be for a maximum of 2 days in the off-peak period of 9.30am to 3.30pm.

Thank - you Councillor Menlove. This grade 2 listed building is investigated on a regular basis by Cheshire East. The only difference is that this time it is closed, whereas usually the inspector goes underneath it. As to "investigating where services are" - these were investigated when the footpath to Varden Bridge was proposed because the documents had to show where they were. We can rest assured then that this is nothing to do with Bollin Park wanting to discharge more water into the Bollin than anticipated.

It is not surprising that Highway Officers have not taken effective measures to protect this vulnerable bridge. There can be no doubt that young residents of the new developments on Adlington Road will be exposed to serious risks especially when cycling to Varden Bridge. The Officers and other senior personnel in CEC are aware that Road Safety Auditors had serious concerns for young cyclists. The Highway Authority has the legal responsibility to mitigate these risks and is failing to do so. With such a cavalier attitude to child safety why would they be concerned about a bridge?