The Rochester Bridge Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of a new bridge inspection consultant, as part of its commitment to keeping the crossings in the best possible condition.
Up and Under Limited (part of the RSK Group) has been awarded a six-year contract to carry out Principal Inspections and General Inspections of all three structures that comprise Rochester Bridge: the historic 1914 Old Bridge, which includes elements dating to the previous crossing in 1856; and the New Bridge and the Service Bridge, which both date from 1970.
Helen Rowe, Bridge Project Manager at the Trust, said: “We are very pleased to confirm this contract with Up and Under Limited, which will take on the task of inspecting our three very different bridges. The group has significant experience in bridge inspections and access, carrying out more than 3,000 inspections a year all around the UK.
“One of our requirements was to ensure that the Inspectors have accreditation with Bridge Inspector Certification Scheme (BICS). This is the only national certification scheme for bridge inspectors, which has been developed to fully recognise the importance of bridge inspections and the quality of bridge inspectors. Up and Under impressed us with their commitment to this scheme.”
Principal Inspections are carried out every six years. These involve the close examination – within touching distance – of all accessible parts of the bridges, using specialist access equipment, as well as associated structures such as river walls.
General Inspections take place in between times. These are a visual inspection using safe viewing positions without the need for additional access.
The aim of both types of inspection is to monitor the physical condition of the structure. The inspections can be supported by data gathered during day-to-day activities, such as through bridge monitoring equipment.
Simon Enderby, Managing Director of Up and Under Limited, said: “We are looking forward to carrying out our first inspection of Rochester Bridge. The combination of heritage and modern structures makes this an interesting site, especially considering the 1914 reconstruction of the Old Bridge, which still includes structures that are more than 168 years old.”
As this activity is part of the routine maintenance of Rochester Bridge, it will be carried out at Net Zero Carbon. See https://rbt.org.uk/about-us/environment-policy-and-carbon-reduction-targets/ for details.
For more information about Up and Under Limited visit https://www.upandundergroup.com/inspections-and-surveys/inspections/