Prof. Aldous Pennick
structural engineer
Precise; structures fail at their weakest point
The Bridge
Businesses protest, councillors want it reopened within a week and social media calls her overcautious.
Planned · not started yet
Science & evidence in everyday life Living with uncertainty Ethics & integrity City life Tense Reflective
The premise
Businesses protest, councillors want it reopened within a week and social media calls her overcautious. Fatima explains engineering risk to an angry public and learns how to communicate uncertainty without losing trust.
The protagonist
Fatima Bertrand-Kirkwood — City engineer closing a bridge after an inspection
The council
Every council member is an original fictional character. None represents, quotes or is endorsed by a real person.
Dr Amara Nwosu
risk communicator
Clear; communicate uncertainty clearly
Dame Rosalind Keverne
building-control officer
Firm; safety is non-negotiable
How the story moves
From closure to reopening over a year; a further inspection finding vindicates her caution, and the public meeting changes how the council communicates risk.
What readers take away
- How structures are inspected
- Risk assessment
- Communicating uncertainty
- Public consultation
- Repair options
- Costs and funding
- Lessons from failures
- Building public trust
- Read a bridge inspection report
- Understand load restrictions
- Run a public meeting
- Use plain-language risk communication
The books
- 1Closure Planned
- 2Protest Planned
- 3Reopening Planned
Book titles are working titles and may change before publication. No book is on sale until the complete series is finished, checked and released.