A town society that was set up decades ago in a bid to protect Marlow Bridge claims the historic icon is “tank proof” – and the three-tonne weight limit should be increased.

The Marlow Society has enlisted the help of a structural engineer to assess the bridge in the wake of the disaster that saw a 37-tonne HGV close the vital route for two months last year.

While options to protect the bridge – including ANPR cameras - are being considered by Bucks County Council, the society decided to carry out its own investigation and claims the structural engineer says the weight limit could be increased.

At a meeting of the Marlow Community Forum, George Lawrence, Marlow Society secretary, said: “Since the 1965 rebuild, the bridge is bulletproof, its tank proof – you can run anything across there and it won’t actually damage the bridge.

“The bridge will support five tonnes, it will support ten tonnes, it will support anything you want. It will take any number of vehicles.

“What the Marlow Society is suggesting now we have this report, is that they raise the limit so all private vehicles – these big SUVs which just tip over the three-tonne limit – can be made legal, and the police’s job is then way simpler.”

The future of the bridge was thrown into doubt when a 37-tonne lorry from Lithuania breached the bridge weight restrictions and forced its way over the bridge on September 24, resulting in a two-month closure and extensive safety tests.

However, Mr Lawrence says the weight limit could be increased to “four or five tonnes”, allowing 4x4s across but preventing commercial vehicles from using the bridge.

He said: “What we’re proposing to BCC is that they look at it from the point of view of raising the weight limit so it can take up to four or five tonnes. There was no damage done by the lorry, they inspected it thoroughly. There are silly stories being put out about what to do with the bridge, but actually there is not a lot that needs doing.

“A camera is exactly what is needed, as police have recommended, but to stop them being flooded with data, you need to raise the weight limit so it is only picking up commercial vehicles, not the people who live in Bisham who could happily drive their 4x4s across.

“The bridge will not be brought down by anyone. We need to raise the limit to something sensible, something that you wouldn’t mind having down the High Street.”

Mark Shaw, deputy leader and cabinet member for transport at Bucks County Council, said: "I understand the views of residents whose vehicles just exceed the three tonne weight limit on Marlow Bridge.

“We've looked at whether we'd be able to adjust the weight restriction, however we're bound by the Department for Transport's national standard weight limits, at three, 7.5, 12.5 and 18 tonnes.

“We're not allowed to deviate from these, in the same way as we'd not be allowed to set a 35mph speed limit. We're continuing to undertake a study into extra measures to prevent overweight vehicles from using the bridge."