Dear Ashna Hurynag

Thank you for your request relating to Bridge repairs received on
06/11/2023. 

The due date for issuing a response is 04/12/2023.

Please feel free to contact our team if you have any queries quoting
FOI/6843 in any future communications

Kind regards

Andrea Bartlett

You can make new FOI requests and review published responses by
visiting [1]https://foiform.nationalhighways.co.uk/

References

Visible links
1. https://foiform.highwaysengland.co.uk/

Dear Ashna Hurynag

Condition and costs of repairing and upgrading bridges and the presence of
reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete

Thank you for your information request dated 6 November 2023 regarding the
condition and costs of repairing and upgrading bridges and the presence of
reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

Unfortunately, we are still working on this request and will not be able
to provide you with a response within the 20 working day limit. 

Please accept my sincere apologies for this delay. 

We plan to have a response with you by 27 December at the latest, this
being a delay of 15 working days to the original due date. 

Further information about your rights to information is available from the
Information Commissioner's Office at www.ico.org.uk

The Information Commissioner can be contacted
at [1]https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/or via the address below -

            Information Commissioner’s Office

            Wycliffe House

            Water Lane

            Wilmslow

            Cheshire

            SK9 5AF

Please remember to quote reference number FOI/6843 in any future
communications about this response.

Kind regards

Rachel Keogh
Environmental Information Regulations Officer

References

Visible links
1. https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

Dear Ashna Hurynag

Condition and costs of repairing and upgrading bridges and the presence of
reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete

Thank you for your information request dated 6 November 2023 regarding the
condition and costs of repairing and upgrading bridges and the presence of
reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete. We have dealt with your request
under the provisions of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004.

This is because the information requested concerns measures and activities
affecting or likely to affect elements of the environment or affect
factors such as noise, pollution discharges and other releases into the
environment.

Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding to you. 

You asked -

I hope you’re well. Its Ashna here from Sky News. I’m getting in touch
with an FOI request to be used as part of a Sky News investigation.

Wed appreciate a response as soon as possible in order to include it as
part of our TV & online story please.

Questions requiring response:

1) How many bridges on motorways or A-roads have sections which are in a
"poor" or "very poor condition"?

2) How many pedestrian and highway bridges have reinforced autoclaved
aerated concrete present within them and their fixtures?

3) In the past three years, how much has been spent on repairing and
upgrading bridge structures to remove reinforced autoclaved aerated
concrete from them?

4) In the past three years, how much has been spent on repairing and
upgrading bridge structures?

I can confirm that we hold the information you have requested.

Information provided

1) How many bridges on motorways or A-roads have sections which are in a
"poor" or "very poor condition"?

National Highways manages the [1]strategic road network (SRN) in England,
which comprises motorways and major ‘A’ roads. Only structures managed by
National Highways have been included in the figures below because not all
‘A’ roads are operated by us.
Our structures’ portfolio includes over 20,000 assets that are highly
diverse in terms of complexity, size and type.  Our structures are
visually inspected every two years and any defects recorded during
inspections are used to calculate a condition score for the structure.

These condition scores represent the visual assessment on site by
inspectors and the results are subsequently analysed by chartered
engineers. Therefore, if a bridge has components that are visually in
‘poor condition’ this does not mean that the bridge is structurally
unsafe.

At the end of March 2023 (the latest reporting/calculation date), we had
42 bridges with an overall average condition, by visual inspection, of
‘poor’ or ‘very poor’. Of these 41 have a condition score of ‘poor’ and 1
has a score of ‘very poor’. None of the bridges have reinforced autoclaved
aerated concrete present.

2) How many pedestrian and highway bridges have reinforced autoclaved
aerated concrete present within them and their fixtures?

1 footbridge has been identified as having RAAC present. The structure is
closed to pedestrians.

3) In the past three years, how much has been spent on repairing and
upgrading bridge structures to remove reinforced autoclaved aerated
concrete from them?

No expenditure has been spent in the past three years on repairing and
upgrading bridge structures to remove reinforced autoclaved aerated
concrete from them.

4) In the past three years, how much has been spent on repairing and
upgrading bridge structures?

The breakdown of National Highways capital expenditure for bridge renewals
in the last three years is as follows:

• 2020/21 – £176.4m
• 2021/22 - £192.40m
• 2022/23 - £176.0m
•  

In addition to the above, National Highways undertakes other interventions
on bridges including, but not limited to, routine, cyclical and reactive
maintenance, for example by cleansing drainage.

If you are not satisfied with our response you may ask for an internal
review within 40 working days of receiving the response, by replying to
this email. You can learn more about the internal review process
at [2]https://nationalhighways.co.uk/media/a14....

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted
at [3]https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/ or via the address below -

            Information Commissioner’s Office
            Wycliffe House
            Water Lane
            Wilmslow
            Cheshire
            SK9 5AF

Please remember to quote reference number FOI/6843 in any future
communications about this response.
 
Kind regards

Rachel Keogh
Environmental Information Regulations Officer
 
You can make new FOI requests and review published responses by
visiting [4]https://foiform.nationalhighways.co.uk/

References

Visible links
1. https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads...
2. https://nationalhighways.co.uk/media/a14...
3. https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/
4. https://foiform.highwaysengland.co.uk/