The National Trust has stepped into the row over the Somerset Bridge repairs.

The Trust has questioned why an environmental impact assessment was not carried out into the project to build a temporary causeway across the water at the site.

They fear the work, which involves laying large boulders across the water to take a road, will damage a sensitive environmental area and may have already caused some harm.

But again Works and Engineering Minister C.V. (Jim) Woolridge stressed that it was a matter of utmost urgency for the sake of public safety that the work went ahead now.

Earlier this week, members of the National Trust's marine environmental committee met with Government officials on the site, to see the project for themselves.

In a letter sent to Environment Minister Irving Pearman and Mr. Woolridge, Trust marine environmental committee chairman Wayne Carey said there was a need for consultation at the earliest stage, especially considering there may be similar projects in the future.

"It is very likely that some environmental damage has already occurred due to the covering of corals by boulders,'' he said.

"We are also very concerned about the potential damage to the marine environment due to the release of fine sediment during construction and demolition of the causeway.

"It seems insufficient consideration has been given to the extent which changes in flow patterns within the channel may affect marine organisms which reside in or utilise it as a marine habitat.'' The causeway, which will take two flows of traffic around Somerset Bridge during its three-month reconstruction, is now taking shape after St. James Church gave its permission for a nearby piece of land to be used. Mr.

Woolridge said they were taking every precaution to protect the environment but reiterated that it was a matter of public safety that the bridge was repaired as soon as possible.

"That bridge is in a terrible state,'' he said, adding that no-one wanted to see the possibility of an accident occurring on the bridge.

"It is even more significant because that is the gateway to Somerset, it is a lifeline and has to be done because it is in a risky state.'' Mr. Carey said: "In view of the fact that several of the Island's bridges will need to be repaired in the not-too-distant future, the marine environmental committee requests the opportunity to be involved at early stages in order to offer recommendations on minimisation of environmental impacts,'' he said.