I seem to be getting more information from the streets of Bath than from B&NES when it comes to whether or not anyone has been appointed to get on with repairs to the beam girders holding up York Street.
Urgent repairs to strengthen – and make good water damage to the structures – is also holding up the start of the Roman Bath’s multi-million pound Archway Project to open up additional areas of their world-famous ruins and build a World Heritage Centre and proper educational facilities for visiting schools.
Walking through Swallow Street – alongside the old laundry buildings that are going to be transformed – l spotted a van with the name of a specialist structural service company emblazoned upon it.
One email later – and a prompt reply from David Kitching – Managing Director of the Stress Group:
“You are correct we have just started on site and are in the throws of investigation prior to the main works starting.”
David says he’s keen to let Bath Newseum in on their work but wants to get things underway first.
“Annie Stevens – our conservator – will be very keen to talk to you at some point in the near future.”
Meanwhile one bit of news about another construction delay DID come from B&NES.
In an interview with Council leader Tim Warren last year he said he was looking forward to work starting on a new pedestrian bridge across the River Avon, early in 2018.
Being half way through August l wondered what had happened to plans for the new Bath Quays Bridge – designed for pedestrians and cyclists?
The B&NES website states: “Ultimately the bridge will connect the proposed development sites of Bath Quays North and South and enhance the improved connectivity between the riverside and Bath city centre.”
But why hasn’t work started on building it?
A press release from B&NES explains: ‘ We started work on archaeology and remediation of the Newark Works site in June and are progressing through the necessary demolition and enabling works to start bridge works proper in the autumn.’
As it is prefabricated the bridge might be up for the New Year. We will see.
STRESS is a better acronym than SRASS, I suppose.