A VILLAGE was cut off for four hours when this monster earthmover got stuck on the bridge which takes the only road in and out.
The 120-tonne combination of low loader and machine was within 100 yards of its destination at Sudbrook near Caldicot after a 300-mile journey from Northumberland when it got stuck on Sunday morning.
The crane was on its way to the site of the former paper mill which is being demolished to make way for hundreds of houses.
Sudbrook – which was built in the 1870s to
accommodate workers building the Severn Tunnel – is on a headland and is surrounded by the River Severn on one side and the Gloucester to Cardiff railway line on the other.
The one-lane bridge is the only access to the village for vehicles.
These pictures were taken by resident June Chandler – who was among those who were trying to leave, in June’s case to go shopping in Newport, when the lorry got stuck.
She said: “It’s always been a concern that something would get stuck on the bridge and we would get cut off.
“If there had been a fire in the village, no fire engine could have got through.
“When they were talking about the works at the paper mill site we were told nothing like this would happen.
“Talking to the guys on Sunday, they said it had been measured but it looks like they didn’t take into account the fact that the bridge is not straight on the village side.”
Senior officers and councillors from Monmouthshire County Coun-
cil met to discuss the emergency and are looking at whether an alternative route could be created.
“Responsibility for choosing and assessing the suitability of any route taken by a load of this size – termed an abnormal load – lies with the haulier who will liaise with those agencies that are involved.
“It would liaise with all highway authorities over whose roads the load travels, all police authorities through whose areas the load moves and in this instance Network Rail, which is responsible for the Sudbrook rail bridge.
“Officers are presently checking that all permits and notifications were in place but more importantly ensuring that the developer and their contractors are making plans to ensure this does not happen again.
“Network Rail engineers have inspected the bridge and are satisfied that it is structurally sound, but repairs are required to the parapet – these are likely to be undertaken using night time rail closures to reduce disruption.
“Monmouthshire County Council is also erecting signage to indicate that all abnormal loads – whether by size or weight i.e. over 44 tonnes – must seek approval to use the route.
“This incident has again highlighted the risk of emergency services being unable to access this community and the Severn Tunnel emergency access at the pumping station when the bridge is unavailable. Officers are investigating whether an alternative route for use in future emergencies can be created.”