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News

POOLE BRIDGE REFURBISHMENT

Additional refurbishment work is due to take place on Poole’s lifting bridge this weekend.

To enable the work to be completed and keep disruption to a minimum, the bridge will be closed from midnight Saturday 20 until 7.00 am Sunday 21 May and from midnight Sunday 21 May until 7.00 am Monday 22 May.

As part of the original contract for the bridge refurbishment, work will include adjustments to the gears that lift the bridge and the repair of the copper cladding on the bridge towers.

John Rice, Engineering Manager, Borough of Poole, said: "To ensure the bridge is working smoothly, the gears must fit exactly. At the moment the Hamworthy leaf of the bridge is working perfectly but there is a slight misalignment on the Poole side. This means that when the bridge is lowered the two leaves touch instead of leaving the 10-15 mm gap needed to ensure a smooth lift. Whilst there is no problem with the main lifting and lowering of the bridge at the moment - this could cause problems in the future. During the night time closures this weekend, the contractor will be fine tuning the gears to ensure the bridge remains in good working order both now and in the future".

Cllr Bob Williams, Chairman of the Planning and Transportation Committee, said:
"Whilst a new bridge will help to relieve congestion and bring forward opportunities for the town, it’s important that we maintain the existing lifting bridge. By ensuring it operates as efficiently as possible, the lifting bridge will continue to play a vital role in the future prosperity of Poole and its residents".

-ends-

Michelle Holland, Public Relations, Borough of Poole,