Herring Bridge to be lifted into place as Great Yarmouth's third crossing reaches milestone

Work to install a major part of a town's new bridge is getting underway, just weeks after a wartime bomb exploded near the site.

Two large sections of Great Yarmouth's Herring Bridge will be lifted into position this week.

The River Yare will be closed to navigation from today until Friday while the work takes place.

The whole project ran into difficulties last month when contractors dug up a Second World War bomb which was accidentally detonated.

Fortunately the structure was not damaged and work to install the 700-tonne 'bridge leaves' is going ahead as planned.

Each of the 'bridge leaves' is 62 metres in length and 20 metres wide and arrived in the town by sea.

Once complete the bridge, which is the town's third river crossing, will link the port area with the A47.

It is due to be opened in the summer and will reduce congestion in the town and encourage regeneration.

Cllr Graham Plant, from Norfolk County Council, said: "I am confident the completion of this long-awaited new bridge and further planned investments will bring much prosperity to the town and our region, as the fishing industries of our past did before it.”

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