JNugent wrote:
"Brimstone" wrote in message
...

AIUI the limit is there to keep damage to the bridge to a minimum.
There was a suggestion at one time that it should be closed
completely (except possibly for buses and emergency vehicles) to
vehicular traffic.

Tower Bridge is part of the Central London Ring Road (and the
furthest in that one can cross the river on the east side without
incurring Mad Ken's "Congestion" Tax). Closing the bridge to
vehicular traffic would necessitate either the Rotherhith Tunnel or
London Bridge to be the eastern leg of that Ring Road, thereby either
massively increasing the size of the "Congestion" Tax zone- or
significantly reducing it.

The weight and speed limits over Tower Bridge limit was imposed in 1955,
somewhat before before the CC was even considered.


And why were *buses* (of all things) proposed as being among the
exceptional classes of traffic to be allowed to use a closed Tower
Bridge? One bus would cause the same "damage" as thousands of cars.

I'm working from memory, I coud be in error. We've explored the reasons for
allowing buses into places where cars are banned on a sufficient number of
occasions that we've already got our arguments very well rehearsed.

Brimstone wrote in
:

And why were *buses* (of all things) proposed as being among the
exceptional classes of traffic to be allowed to use a closed Tower
Bridge? One bus would cause the same "damage" as thousands of cars.

I'm working from memory, I coud be in error. We've explored the
reasons for allowing buses into places where cars are banned on a
sufficient number of occasions that we've already got our arguments
very well rehearsed.

Yes: the congestion caused by a 10-ton bus is less than the congestion
caused by some 50-60 1-ton cars - assuming the worst case that each bus
passenger were to drive his own car across the bridge. On the other hand,
ISTR that damage is proportional to something like incredible like the 9th
power of the weight.

What is the weight limit? Are buses the only heavy vehicles that can use it?
Are lorries prohibited?

Martin Underwood wrote:
Brimstone wrote in
:

And why were *buses* (of all things) proposed as being among the
exceptional classes of traffic to be allowed to use a closed Tower
Bridge? One bus would cause the same "damage" as thousands of cars.

I'm working from memory, I coud be in error. We've explored the
reasons for allowing buses into places where cars are banned on a
sufficient number of occasions that we've already got our arguments
very well rehearsed.

Yes: the congestion caused by a 10-ton bus is less than the congestion
caused by some 50-60 1-ton cars - assuming the worst case that each
bus passenger were to drive his own car across the bridge. On the
other hand, ISTR that damage is proportional to something like
incredible like the 9th power of the weight.

What is the weight limit? Are buses the only heavy vehicles that can
use it? Are lorries prohibited?

AFAIK it's a straighforward 17t weight limit with a 20mph speed limit.

Brimstone ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they
were saying :

What is the weight limit? Are buses the only heavy vehicles that can
use it? Are lorries prohibited?

AFAIK it's a straighforward 17t weight limit

So Bendis can't use Tower Bridge?

Adrian wrote:
Brimstone ) gurgled happily, sounding much like
they were saying :

What is the weight limit? Are buses the only heavy vehicles that can
use it? Are lorries prohibited?

AFAIK it's a straighforward 17t weight limit

So Bendis can't use Tower Bridge?

How much does a bendi weigh?

Brimstone ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they
were saying :

AFAIK it's a straighforward 17t weight limit

So Bendis can't use Tower Bridge?

How much does a bendi weigh?

About 17t - empty.
ULW is written on the side of all buses.

RMs are about 8t, modern double-deckers about 12t.

The 20 MPH limit is also there to protect the large number of tourists that
step out into the road with camera in hand without looking.

pay up

In article . 170,
(Adrian) wrote:

Brimstone ) gurgled happily, sounding much like
they were saying :

AFAIK it's a straighforward 17t weight limit

So Bendis can't use Tower Bridge?

How much does a bendi weigh?

About 17t - empty.
ULW is written on the side of all buses.

RMs are about 8t, modern double-deckers about 12t.

Bendies are about 16.5 tonnes so would just get in within the limit as
long as they were nearly empty. I reckon half a tonne of people is about
6 or 7.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

On Fri, 2 Dec 2005 18:26 +0000 (GMT Standard Time),
(Colin Rosenstiel) wrote:

In article . 170,
(Adrian) wrote:

Brimstone ) gurgled happily, sounding much like
they were saying :

AFAIK it's a straighforward 17t weight limit

So Bendis can't use Tower Bridge?

How much does a bendi weigh?

About 17t - empty.
ULW is written on the side of all buses.

RMs are about 8t, modern double-deckers about 12t.

Bendies are about 16.5 tonnes so would just get in within the limit as
long as they were nearly empty. I reckon half a tonne of people is about
6 or 7.

Isn't it unladen weights that determine weight limits?

--
James Farrar
. @gmail.com

James Farrar wrote:
On Fri, 2 Dec 2005 18:26 +0000 (GMT Standard Time),
(Colin Rosenstiel) wrote:

In article . 170,
(Adrian) wrote:

Brimstone ) gurgled happily, sounding much
like they were saying :

AFAIK it's a straighforward 17t weight limit

So Bendis can't use Tower Bridge?

How much does a bendi weigh?

About 17t - empty.
ULW is written on the side of all buses.

RMs are about 8t, modern double-deckers about 12t.

Bendies are about 16.5 tonnes so would just get in within the limit
as long as they were nearly empty. I reckon half a tonne of people
is about 6 or 7.

Isn't it unladen weights that determine weight limits?

Usually, but not in every case.