People are being urged to "be aware" as heavy plant equipment is operated in a coastal town as part of a scheme of "urgent" works to help protect homes from erosion.
Pedestrian access to a popular promenade area in Lowestoft is set to be "limited" today (Wednesday, December 7) as "heavy plant" equipment is delivered ahead of the unloading of 2,000 tonnes of rock.
With the equipment arriving today, people are being warned to "take care" around the Royal Green and Jubilee Promenade area of Lowestoft.
As around 2,000 tonnes of rock arrived on sea barges in Lowestoft on Friday and at the weekend as part of works "to help reduce the continuing risk of erosion" at Pakefield in Lowestoft, it is expected to last around six weeks.
With Coastal Partnership East (CPE) - the coastal management team for East Suffolk Council - contracting Balfour Beatty to carry out the urgent works on the beach in front of Arbor Lane, it will see the rock placed "at the base of the cliff, at the most vulnerable points" in front of the access road in Arbor Lane, as without it "further cliff erosion would increase the risk of the access road being unsafe for use".
Ahead of this, a CPE spokesman said: "In preparation to unload the rock, heavy plant will now be delivered on December 7 and travel along the new route starting tomorrow morning (today) for a period of approximately six hours.
"This will mean that pedestrian access along the promenade will be limited and members of the public will need to be aware of, and take care around, heavy plant travelling in the area.
"We apologise for the late notice and possible disruption.
"Please consider alternative routes if at all possible."
With car parking restrictions possibly in place, the spokesman added: "Please be aware the work will involve heavy plant and machinery travelling along the promenade and on the beach.
"While plant is offloaded at Claremont Pier there will be restricted access to the area for a short period of time.
"Plant moving along the beach will be restricted to 4mph and fully supervised by trained traffic marshals."
On Friday, an East Suffolk Council spokesman said: "Depending on wave heights, the rock will be offloaded and work will begin to get things in place as soon as possible to protect the community."
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