THE news, reported recently in the Warrington Guardian, that the Cantilever Bridge has been shut for repairs, causing havoc throughout the town with untold consequences for individuals, comes as no surprise to me.

I crossed the bridge in the early hours a few Saturdays since, as a passenger in a 50-odd seater coach bound for London’s attractions.

I don’t know how heavy such a vehicle would be, but I am sure that it well exceeded the three-ton weight restriction imposed on a crossing traffic.

Had the bridge collapsed into the canal, the casualty toll would have been horrendous and that would have been the end of the bridge.

The fact is that this sort of thing will keep happening unless the bridge is policed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The reality is that Peel Holdings should be shamed into funding the building of a new high level bridge out of the land profits they have made after they acquire the ship canal.

I know they have the money, I used to be one of their shareholders.

It must cost them a fortune in insurance allowing ships to sail under such an old structure.

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