Following the announcement that vehicles weighing more than 18 tonnes will not be permitted to cross the A36 Cleveland Bridge in Bath from 1 January 2020 while maintenance work is completed, Chris Yarsley,  Policy Manager for the South West at FTA, comments:

“FTA is calling for Bath City Council to ensure the ban on heavier vehicles on the Cleveland Bridge is as brief as possible; it must be lifted as soon as repair work is complete. The bridge is a strategically important river crossing, with many logistics businesses relying on this route to deliver the goods which businesses, schools and hospitals within Bath need to operate. The logistics sector is vital to the city’s economy; we are concerned that removing the access which the bridge provides will be detrimental to the wider local economy. This is due to the delays a planned detour will bring to those charged with delivering for Bath, who will be faced with significantly higher costs and longer journey times.

“As the voice of the UK logistics sector, FTA is particularly concerned to see the diversion routes in place for heavier vehicles – one pathway would increase a driver’s journey by more than 50 miles using the A350 – adding significant costs and delays. FTA is calling for Bath City Council to confirm when the bridge will reopen to heavier vehicles as soon as possible; securing funding and contracts to do so must be its priority.”

Efficient logistics is vital to keep Britain trading, directly having an impact on more than seven million people employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. A champion and challenger, FTA speaks to Government with one voice on behalf of the whole sector, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers.