The Lowestoft 3rd Road Crossing - LATEST

[kerch]

Latest post of the previous page:

Of course by the time that's sorted a forth bridge will be needed .

[boatbuilder]

There are already two 'Forth' road bridges - in Scotland, kerch.

[kerch]

Ha Ha ! !! ! belive or not I did know that .But seriously what do the h*** do they think they are playing?

[boatbuilder]

Who knows, kerch?

My comment about the 'forth' bridges was all down to the spelling - I guessed you meant to type 'fourth'.

[kerch]

Yes I did typo

[boatbuilder]

With all the disruption to life over the past three months, it seemed that this subject had been forgotten.

However, when I looked at the National Infrastructure Planning website I discovered that the Secretary of State finally gave to go-ahead for the construction of the crossing on 30th April. I subsequently found that this was reported in the Journal in early May.

If anybody else saw this, I'm surprised it was never mentioned on here.

If anyone is interested, here are PDF copies of all the documentation that accompanied the announcement:

Planning Inspectorate Notification of Decision Letter
Secretary of State Decision Letter
Development Consent Order as made by the Secretary of State
Examining Authoritys Recommendation Report
Post-Examination Submissions
Regulation 23 Notice

[muzzy]

Nexen simply making their case for compensation, makes sense.

Saw it in May, but just waiting on the next objection/appeal. The ports don't seem to like anything that might force them to relinquish their stranglehold on the town, I'm sure they have something else planned. So much for the promise of David Cameron when he stood on the Bascule bridge here in Lowestoft and promised that if we voted for the Conservatives in the next election, the bridge would be built and open by 2020.

[boatbuilder]

2022 was the last date mentioned for opening. Any further delay hasn’t been helped by the Brexit fiasco which brought about the December election as the go ahead by the Secretary of State should have been given in that month, but was delayed as a result of that. You can only blame David Cameron for bowing to the pressures of Nigel Farage & Co., for the referendum. Without the outcome of that he wouldn’t have resigned, we’d have still been in the EU and things would likely have progressed as originally planned.

As with all major infrastructure projects, like HS2 for example, all those affected would normally receive compensation. As the final route for the bridge was still not determined in 2007, in my opinion anybody planning major business investment in an area that could be affected by the potential construction of the bridge at that time, should have thought long and hard before making the commitment.

[muzzy]

This afternoon for the first time, I watched a cabinet meeting from the Suffolk County Council. After much discussion, they unanimously voted to continue with the 3rd crossing, now called the gull crossing I believe. But the date for opening has been moved back yet again to 2023.

[boatbuilder]

I wonder how many more delays there will be?

[kerch]

Villeneuve has the same problem on a smaller scale .The bridge is too small for the volume of traffic cars have to wait for large buses to pass and very large lorries have got stuck before to-day ( no turning room) but just maybe things are changing before the tourist arrived dozens of marks appeared on the road leading to the bridge on both sides of the canal .The plan is to do away with the foot paths and build a foot bridge .Now the holiday season is almost over will have to wait and see .

[boatbuilder]

'The Gull Wing is go' - Joy as third crossing secures Government approval

Construction of a coastal town’s new £126.75m bridge will start next year.


Visualisations of the Lake Lothing third crossing in Lowestoft. Picture: Suffolk County Council - Credit: Suffolk County Council

Work will begin on Lowestoft’s Gull Wing early in 2021, after the Government gave final approval to the scheme today (Wednesday, November 25).


With Suffolk County Council’s cabinet giving approval to the project in August, preliminary work for the bridge started with an archaeological survey in September 25.

And today the Gull Wing project team at Suffolk County Council received official confirmation that its full business case has been approved, meaning that the £73.39m funding from the Department of Transport can now be accessed - as the eagerly awaited Lake Lothing Third Crossing receives the green light.

With this final milestone now reached, the contract with building and civil engineering contractor, Farrans, will be signed.

Other formalities such as formally acquiring land can also be completed, paving the way for construction work to start in the new year.

County council leader, Matthew Hicks, said: “I’m delighted with the announcement from the Government today, which means that the Gull Wing is go.

“With this news, the final step in our application to build this bridge is now complete.

"We can now access the funding, sign the construction contract and start building the bridge.

“Any doubts are now over and we will get spades into the ground early in the new year to build Lowestoft’s third crossing.”

Waveney MP Peter Aldous said: "This news is extremely welcome and is a real positive boost for the residents of Lowestoft.

"I’d like to commend Suffolk County Council on their commitment to this project and to the town.

"The official processes are now complete and we will see construction start in the new year.

"Our skyline is about to change forever, for the better.”

Steve Gallant, leader of East Suffolk Council, added: “It’s great to hear that work on the Gull Wing can now begin.

"Lowestoft and the region should be proud of all the ambition and vision being developed to support local residents and businesses, from the town’s Masterplan to the flood defence works.

"The Gull Wing will be iconic and be a statement of intent for the future of the town.”

Further preliminary groundwork will continue in the coming months, to allow construction work to begin in the spring of 2021.

The Gull Wing is planned to open in the summer of 2023.

Lowestoft Journal

[boatbuilder]

'A reality': £126.75m Gull Wing bridge marks the start of work


Visualisations of the proposed third crossing in Lowestoft. Photo: Suffolk County Council - Credit: Suffolk County Council

It has been hailed as "an iconic and important bridge" for Lowestoft.

And after more than 100 years of waiting, dreams have become reality as the start of construction work on Lowestoft’s Gull Wing third crossing has been formally marked.

The new £126.75m Gull Wing bridge, which will cross Lake Lothing and link Waveney Drive to Denmark Road and Peto Way, is expected to open in the summer of 2023.

With preparatory work starting in January on a project that is hoped to reduce traffic congestion in the town, regenerate the area and attract new investment for the local economy, the much-needed third crossing is being delivered by Suffolk County Council and built by Farrans Construction.

The start of construction work was formally marked on Monday, March 22 despite officials not being able to host a traditional groundbreaking ceremony at the site, due to lockdown restrictions.

Instead, a video featuring a range of people involved with the scheme has been released, including Jack and Hayden, former Somerleyton Primary School pupils who won the schools competition to give the Gull Wing its name.



Full news story: EDP

[boatbuilder]

There is now a new topic in The Dark Room in which to post any images you may have taken of any of the construction work which is now well underway, HERE.

[muzzy]

Major milestones marked as key schemes continue to progress

Good progress continues to be made in the construction of a town's long-awaited third crossing. Key milestones continue to be marked as works gather pace on a project that is hoped to reduce traffic congestion in Lowestoft, regenerate the area and attract new investment for the local economy.

The much-needed Gull Wing third crossing - which will cross Lake Lothing and link Waveney Drive to Denmark Road and Peto Way - has been hailed as "an iconic and important bridge for Lowestoft," which is being delivered by Suffolk County Council and built by Farrans Construction. With the £126.75m Gull Wing bridge due to open in 2023, last week "a significant stage" was reached as "the last pile" out of 180 was installed for the bridge structure for "Pier 1 on the south side of the Lake."

It followed "another milestone" was achieved earlier this month "towards the first section of the bridge (NAV1) being lifted into place over the railway." With the "concrete part of the deck poured", a spokesman said: "As we get closer to moving NAV 1 into its final place across the Network Rail line in October, the concrete deck layer has been successfully completed."

https://www.lowestoftjournal.co.uk/news ... ss-9225068

[muzzy]

Lowestoft Gull Wing crossing taking shape ahead of December finish

Contractors are expected to ramp up the construction of a town's long-awaited water crossing this month. Engineers are planning to build up the southern approach embankment of the Gull Wing bridge in Lowestoft. A Suffolk County Council spokesman said there would be further construction of a reinforced concrete control tower. The £145m project, partly funded by the Department for Transport, is scheduled for completion by December 2023.

"This is a major and technically complicated scheme in a difficult environment and, while there are still challenges ahead, overall it is progressing well," said the Conservative council leader Matthew Hicks. "Once complete the bridge will bring huge benefits to Lowestoft and the wider area for many years to come." Mr Hicks said Waveney Drive on the southern approach had "just reopened" following the construction of a new roundabout.

The plans for the bridge over Lake Lothing, for what would be the town's third waterway crossing, were first approved by the county council in 2015. The first steel section of the bridge, weighing 380 tonnes and delivered from Belgium, was installed in October. Once work to the bridge abutments and piers were completed, engineers expected to be able to install steel bridge deck sections - also from Belgium - in the spring.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-64119348



One thing niggles at me. According to this image, the main road to the retail park will be diverted to the left to the new roundabout, before returning to the retail park area further down. What is going to happen to the disused bit of road? And I don't remember this being in any of the plans previously.