Boris Johnson has intervened to prevent dozens of Victorian bridges up and down the country from being filled in with concrete.
Highways bosses plan to fill in 69 historic bridges in five years over concerns they are not strong enough to carry heavy lorries.
It sparked claims of vandalism last month after a 159-year-old stone railway bridge in Cumbria was buried by tons of concrete. The issue was highlighted by the Daily Mail.
But today Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, will unveil a new strategy to preserve the bridges. Highways England will be told to ‘pause’ any planned infilling or demolition to allow studies to be carried out into whether any can be used for cycle routes or other transport purposes.
There were claims of vandalism last month after a 159-year-old stone railway bridge in Cumbria, pictured, was buried by tons of concrete
Residents and councils will also be given a greater say in whether the bridges should be preserved.
Downing Street said the policy has been brought in at the insistence of the Prime Minister and Mr Shapps. It is part of a cycling strategy document. It says: ‘We will consider whether more of our historic railway structures could be used for cycle routes or other transport purposes.
‘There has been concern about the fate of a small proportion of the 3,250 railway structures managed by Highways England.
‘By the autumn, we will establish a formalised framework and engagement process for these structures to understand, in each case, whether there is a realistic prospect of it being used for active travel or other transport purposes in future; and to ensure that the views of local stakeholders, including active travel groups and the local authority, are fully taken into account.
Pictured: a bridge at Great Musgrave in Cumbria after being infilled by the Government body which cited safety reasons for the work
Campaigners branded the project a 'scandalous wrecking ball' and claimed it would effectively destroy any chances of turning the bridge
