Summer opening for new £145m Gull Wing bridge in Lowestoft

With construction of the Gull Wing bridge in Lowestoft having reached a crucial phase, the final "commissioning stage" in the project is progressing.

Tests have seen the final bascule span of the town's long-awaited third crossing successfully opened and closed "numerous times", as work to ensure that bridge safety and control systems have been installed and tested is ongoing.

The scale of the development and major progress made on the Gull Wing third crossing in Lowestoft was captured with this aerial photo in March. Picture: Mike Page (Image: Mike Page)

As testing and commissioning of the Gull Wing bridge’s bascule section continues, it comes after the three-week closure of Lake Lothing in March for the installation of the final span.

With leading building and civil engineering contractor Farrans Construction overseeing work on the bridge on behalf of Suffolk County Council, a county council spokesman said that since the closure "activity has been focused on ensuring the bridge performs as designed, and is safe and ready to open to the public".

The spokesman added: "Since then, testing and commissioning of the hydraulic, mechanical and power systems has been taking place and the bridge has been raised and lowered numerous times.

"The commissioning process is thorough and systematic, involving the testing of every component under different conditions.

"This also involves gradually increasing the power of the bascule bridge until it reaches its full design opening and closing speeds."

As well as this, "several associated safety systems" are being installed and tested - this includes the warning lights and barriers, the tail locks, aircraft and marine warning lights, various sensors and the CCTV monitoring system.

The spokesman added: "Alongside all of this, the control room is being fitted out and the software control system tested and commissioned.

"The new bridge operators have also been recruited and are currently being trained."

As the commissioning and testing work continues to progress on the opening bascule section, the road and footway tarmac surface has been completed for the Gull Wing Bridge in Lowestoft. Picture: Gull Wing Bridge (Image: Gull Wing Bridge)

'Exciting'

The road and footway tarmac surfacing across the entire bridge and approaches have now been completed.

Suffolk County Council leader Matthew Hicks. (Image: Archant)

Suffolk County Council leader, Matthew Hicks, said: "It is exciting to see the bascule span in operation as the final commissioning progresses.

"It is essential that we take the time to make sure that all of the operating and safety systems are in place and rigorously tested before we open up to road vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.

"Our contractor, Farrans, is working hard to complete the remaining commissioning and construction activities so that we can open the bridge to the public in the summer."