Why has work continued on replacing the kerbs and painting the bridge ?

At the beginning of the first lockdown the Government identified a small number of sectors as critical to the Covid-19 response. One of those critical sectors was ‘transport’, with works to protect and maintain public transport services and crossings, and key assets such as bridges considered as essential works. This remains the case.

To ensure that the bridge remains in a safe and serviceable condition for our users we have a number of contractors who work on key construction and maintenance projects. This includes the teams who had been working on the kerb works replacement project, which was completed in December 2020, and the teams who are currently repainting the bridge to ensure that it does not deteriorate. Staff and contractors working at Tamar Crossings are designated as critical workers under the Government’s current guidance. While many of our staff are working from home in accordance with the lockdown restrictions, this is not possible for the majority of construction workers or contractors. We work closely with all of our contractors to ensure that current Government guidance on safe working practices are being followed, including those on social distancing, and take robust and immediate action if any concerns are raised. We are also rigorously applying the Site Operating Procedures recently issued by the Construction Leadership Council.