A contribution of £200,000 pounds to the bridge replacement was approved by the South Gloucestershire Council in 2008, based on a technical report to Councillor Brian Allinson, Executive Member for Planning, Transportation and Strategic Environment, in 2007. This option did not allow for any changes to the highway alignment. The report offered three options;
Item 11, Allow Network Rail to strengthen the bridge to 24T at no cost to the Council and rescind the existing weight limit in Hallen;
Item 12, Increase the carrying capacity of the structure to 40T, but do not include any changes to the highway alignment. The Council’s contribution would be £200,000;
Item 13, Increase the carrying capacity of the structure to 40T and realign the highway, removing the pinch point at the bridge. The Council’s contribution would be £300,000.
The Council opted for Item 12. This appears to be a financial decision, with road safety taking second place. 
The old bridge had a varying width sloping roadway with a narrow pinch point to only 5.2m, with only a 1.0m wide footpath on one side. The Network Rail drawings show the alignment of the new bridge and the pinch point to be identical to the old bridge. The necessity for fuel tankers to straddle the centre white line at the pinch point will be the same when the new bridge is finished.
The old bridge had a varying width sloping roadway with a narrow pinch point to only 5.2m, with only a 1.0m wide footpath on one side. The Network Rail drawings show the alignment of the new bridge and the pinch point to be identical to the old bridge. The necessity for fuel tankers to straddle the centre white line at the pinch point will be the same when the new bridge is finished.
That South Gloucestershire Council force aviation fuel tankers from Hallen Depot and skip transporters from Hallen Landfill Site into North West Bristol's suburban roads is crime enough. However despite this arrogance they are now perpetuating the railway bridge restriction as a road safety hazard for many years to come.
South Gloucestershire Council proudly calls itself a member of the West of England Road Safety Partnership, what an absurd boast.
Bristol City Council, listen to the local residents and children at risk. The tankers and other hgv's cannot be allowed to return to North West Bristol suburban roads, once the construction of the new railway bridge is completed in August.
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