Traffic on the Bascule Bridge, Lowestoft.
Photo: Andy Darnell
Copy: Amy Gray
For: EDP
Archant © 2008 (01603) 772434
A12 bascule bridge closures mean more disruption in Lowestoft
Thursday, September 1, 2011
6:26 PM
MOTORISTS in Lowestoft face more disruption later this month when the A12 Bascule Bridge is closed for further maintenance.
The bridge will be closed overnight for four nights in late September and, potentially, a further four nights in November to allow a fault on one of its hydraulic units to be investigated and repaired.
The hydraulic units are part of the system which lifts the bridge to allow harbour traffic to pass underneath.
Brian Pitkin, project manager at the Highways Agency, which is carrying out the work, said: “Repairs to a faulty hydraulic unit on the north side of the bridge were completed in June. However, further checks of the other hydraulic units have revealed that there may be a similar fault in one of the units that lift the south side of the bridge.
“We know how much people in Lowestoft depend on the Bascule Bridge every day, by both road and water. We’re committed to keeping delays to an absolute minimum throughout this work. By carrying out the work overnight, and by avoiding the busy Friday and Saturday night periods, we hope to achieve this.”
Investigations will take place overnight – 8pm to 6am – from Sunday, September 25 to Wednesday, September 28. If repairs are required, there will be further closures between Sunday, November 13 and Wednesday, November 16. No closures are planned for Friday or Saturday nights when the bridge is used more frequently by pedestrians.
During the closures, a free bus service around the diversion route will be provided for pedestrians.
Advanced signing and a signed diversion route will also be in place.
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4 comments
It's hardly any wonder the things worn out.It goes up and down like a fiddlers elbow everytime some silly little dinghy wants to potter about going in and out of the harbour. The bridge and the stupid road system are a total joke.it was typical of Lowestofts gormless planners that they approved the building of a marina up stream that has made the situation worse and that they approved the hopeless sunrise scheme that started the rot in the first place. Easiest way to avoid the jams is to shop outside the town,the centres had it anyway.
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kevin bacon
Monday, September 5, 2011
It's hardly any wonder the things worn out.It goes up and down like a fiddlers elbow everytime some silly little dinghy wants to potter about going in and out of the harbour. The bridge and the stupid road system are a total joke.it was typical of Lowestofts gormless planners that they approved the building of a marina up stream that has made the situation worse and that they approved the hopeless sunrise scheme that started the rot in the first place. Easiest way to avoid the jams is to shop outside the town,the centres had it anyway.
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kevin bacon
Monday, September 5, 2011
Poor maintenance last time a third crossing is long overdue.
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Sherbert
Friday, September 2, 2011
haha! I can't even say much about this. I just have to laugh... I bet they wish they never said the works they done 3-4 years ago would stop it needing to be closed again.
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lpeek
Friday, September 2, 2011