The method for the assessment of shear capacity given in BD44/95 appears to be unduly conservative for bridges with short anchorage lengths. A new method has been developed for assessment of the shear capacity of concrete bridges that have short anchorage lengths, based on the results of a programme of laboratory testing and theoretical analyses. Lower-bound plasticity models have been developed, and these have also been used as the basis of a simplified assessment model in the style of the BD44 provisions for shear assessment. The new model is shown to have good agreement with the test data, and could be simply incorporated into future standards. J. D. Shave, MEng, MA (Cantab), PhD Parsons Brinckerhoff Ltd, UK T. J. Ibell, BSc(Eng), PhD, CEng, MIStructE, MILT University of Bath, UK S. R. Denton, MA (Cantab), PhD, CEng, MICE Parsons Brinckerhoff Ltd, UK