Mangere bridge unsound

Press, 21 July 1980, Page 11

Mangere bridge unsound

PA Auckland South Auckland’s, new public transport system, due to start next month, is in jeopardy, because engineers have discovered that the old Mangere bridge is structurally unsound. More load restrictions on the bridge would stop, buses crossing it, ruining the Auckland Regional Authority’s plans to improve public transport in the south. “It would be disastrous for us. It would affect about 130,000 people and stop a lot of people getting to their jobs,” said the authority’s transport. controller (Mr J. Brown). The authroty hopes the Ministry of Works’ suggestion that two Bailey bridges be run across the existing bridge,can be implemented. But the Ministry’s District Commissioner of Works (Mr A. Aitken)

said the National Roads Board could provide Bailey bridges only if it was convinced that an “emergency situation” existed, “These bridges are usually used only when bridges are washed out by floods and things like that,” he said. “If we don’t get the Bailey bridges, the alternative is to make further load restrictions on the Mangere Bridge.” Previous reports showing that the bridge was steadily getting worse led the authority to stop the use of some of its Mercedes bus fleet in the area. Mr Brown said bus drivers were being told now to cross the bridge at low speed.

Mr Aitken said the latest engineers’ report was no reason for public panic and he denied reports that its findings had been kept secret.