Roads: Bridges crumble in cash squeeze

Britain's roads and bridges are inadequately funded, leaving much of the network in a poor condition, a report by the all-party Commons Transport Committee said yesterday. The lack of money could lead to bridges having to be closed, which would hit business and industry.

"The overwhelming message from the evidence we have received is that spending on national and local road and bridge maintenance has been insufficient to maintain these important national assets in good condition," the report concluded. "If bridges are unable to cope with heavy lorries, they will have to be closed or weight-limited in some way. Such measures could isolate many businesses ... and there are likely to be many instances where firms will suffer as a result.".