The Lowestoft 3rd Road Crossing - LATEST

[boatbuilder]

Latest post of the previous page:

'All the engineers' sounds like the erecting of them in situ to me.

[nikkai]

Blades / nacelles etc are normally loaded onto the jack-up barges then those sail out to the farm.
Most of the riggers / electricians / survey and crews live in floatels (floating hotel ships) and the windcats return to port for fuel and supplies or crew changes, as the windcats can not carry a large amount of fuel they need to come into a port with that facility or an area where they can take fuels and oils without contravening regulations.
The Turbine Towers or pylons known to the business as TP's are driven into the seabed until they hit bedrock (hopefully) then the J tubes are assembled and this needs divers and riggers then the air sections are fitted before they are toped out and the blades lifted into place and set to the gearing with in the system.
The larger of the jack-up barges in the past jobs have had their crews transferred via helicopter but mostly it is done by the windcats. 'CTV' (crew transfer vessel)

[SL-Dave]

It is an interesting point - at least for me! - as the whole argument for removal of the fish market on the docks and forcing out the businesses nearby was given by Waveney District Council as the new businesses moving into Lowestoft that would be involved in the wind farm industry. Has this in fact happened, and are there new businesses there, or was this another 'dream' by WDC??

Either way, the whole 3rd crossing debacle has now taken another turn, with politicians now saying that it may not happen unless we can prove the financial case. Seems a bit different to David Cameron - our then Prime Minister - standing on our Bascule Bridge in front of the media cameras declaring that if the Conservatives won the national election (which they did) he personally would promise the 3rd crossing would not only be started but actually built and open for business by 2020.

[boatbuilder]

I suppose if the EU referendum hadn't made David Cameron feel he not only had to step down as PM, and ultimately as an MP, then things might have been different and he would have still been in office for the people to challenge him on the issue, which probably wouldn't be an issue now, anyway. He obviously lost confidence in the electorate of this country - albeit a minority of the total electorate who could have voted - as so many didn't.

However, our new PM now seems to have only one objective in her diary - 'Brexit' - and everything else can take a back seat. Maybe those who voted to leave the EU should take a look in the mirror and ask themselves the questions - 'Is the third crossing going to happen now?' and 'Did my referendum vote contribute to this happening?' If the answer to the first part of that is 'No' then almost certainly the answer to the second part would have to be 'Yes'.

[SL-Dave]

I disagree!

Whether or not Brexit was happening, I still think there would be issues with getting the bridge built. I even think this would have happened if David Cameron was still Prime Minister, although as you say, if he were we could 'discuss' his broken promises with him. Instead, I think as always it all boils down to money, or lack of. The government is trying to claw back as much money as it can from as many places as possible, whilst at the same time looking to be a new progressive government. What frustrates me is that Ipswich is now ahead of us in their new bridge, and yet they started far after us, and the same goes for the 'new' Gt Yarmouth bridge - it makes me wonder if palms have been crossed with silver somewhere along the way!

The issue of Brexit is a murky one, as there are still no concrete proofs that we will be any worse of leaving than staying, or any better off for that matter; all we have are theories dreamt up by the consultants that are the only winners. As they say, the proof there will be in the pudding.... that is, unless someone in government makes a pigs ear of it all.

[boatbuilder]

This isn't the topic to discuss other brexit issues, but I think you will find there are many things that have reared their heads since the referendum, the first one is the strength of the pound. See what happens when you try to buy things from abroad - they cost more. I think Microsoft only mentioned the other day about its Surface goods would be increasing in price in the UK, and they are far from the first to do so. It might be fine if you are exporting but the average man-in-the-street does very little of that so it is the consumer who is suffering.

Back to the 'Bridge'. We shall just have to wait and see what happens by 2022 (or sooner). Maybe I should contact Peter Aldous and invite him to join our forum and contribute to this topic. Do you think he will accept?

[frankiesays]

I doubt many people had a bridge in mind when pondering over their Brexit decision. Hopefully they were considering what would be best for the country as a whole rather than their personal lot/ business/family, etc. The value of the pound is a double-edged sword, exporters are now having their day after years of a strong pound have held them back.

[Trigger]

Note by admin: I have duplicated Trigger's post in the Local News topic today to here, as it represents an important link in the chain of events.

Council to send out questionnaires on Lowestoft’s long-awaited Third Crossing

Suffolk County Council has been awarded £73.4m by the Department for Transport to construct a long-awaited bridge across Lake Lothing, due to open in 2022.
The project has been designated as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project and the council is proposing to make an application for development consent to the Secretary of State for Transport later this year.
As part of the preparation for the application, the council needs to identify and consult directly with those with an interest in land/property near the scheme.
A Land Interest Questionnaire (LIQ), prepared by Mouchel – a specialist land referencing consultancy who will be collating and verifying information on land ownership on behalf of the county council – is being sent out to addresses on Monday.
http://www.edp24.co.uk/motoring/council ... _1_4915203

[boatbuilder]

I am posting this here as, although it is not directly linked with the third crossing, it could be affected by it in time.

Having started going to Aldi in recent weeks, and giving some thought to the effects the third crossing will have on the increased amount of traffic that is likely to use Millenium way once the new bridge is in use, I think there will be one bugbear in the road system as it now stands and that is the traffic lights at the junction where Aldi is situated where even now, with the pedestrian crossing lights as well, plus the fact that there are no specific light changes in favour of turning right, in any direction either on to or off Millenium way, this could become a problem junction. I think this, like all the other junctions on Millenium way, should be converted into a roundabout. I know that is likely to lead to other problems as there will still need to be pedestrian lights but, like the Bloodmoor/Tom Crisp roundabout at Carlton Colville, that is just something that would have to be lived with.

It would be interesting to hear anybody else's thoughts on this.

[SL-Dave]

That actually sounds like a good idea. In Ipswich, there were traffic lights for many years at the 2 roundabout junctions into the Grange Farm estate. Last year (or maybe year before?!) they did tests switching off the lights, and it showed that traffic throughput increased substantially. Consequently, they have switched these lights off permanently.

Having said that, in an ideal world all Lowestoft traffic lights and other electronic signage would be connected to the magical traffic management system that was installed some years ago at great expense. However, to my knowledge I believe the council was forced to admit a few years ago that this system did not do what it was designed to do, which is manage the traffic effectively.

[a_taylor]

So it's projected that construction will start in 2019. I know that feels like a long time away...but it's really only 18 months from now.

Questionnaires are going out to people who will be living within 300 metres of the proposed crossing...so I urge those of you who will get one to fill it out and turn it back in ASAP.

I especially want the people of Kirkley to have their voices heard!

This is a great, long-awaited, project for Lowestoft and we need to keep the pressure on any way that we can to get the Third Crossing completed!

Alice Taylor

[boatbuilder]

I have merged two topics into this one. The topic in the Lounge entitled 'Third Crossing' has been merged with this one which has been running longer and they are about the same issue.

[busman]

That's correct there are up to 100 engineers going down to the Greater Gabbard windfarm from Lowestoft, using high speed craft from the fleets of Windcats, Iceni, and Dalby. There is also a helicopter based in the docks here which will take some down when the weather is not good, or she sometimes takes heavy bits down strung below the aircraft. When I say if the weather is not good the high speed craft will not go if the swell is more than one and a half metres, cos they push their bow upto the turbine and hold it there whilst the engineers are working. They go usually between 7 and 8 in the morning and are back before dark or 6 to 7 in the summer.

[boatbuilder]

Council leader says “bridge will be built” after Labour group raises concerns over third crossing funding

Suffolk County Council’s Labour councillors have raised concerns over funding for the third crossing in Lowestoft.
The council has been awarded £73.4m by the Department for Transport to construct the bridge, which is due to open in 2022.
The estimated total cost for the crossing comes to around £90m, which excludes a contingency fund of an additional £10m.
The council has pledged a further £10m for the scheme, however Labour councillors say no approaches have been made to the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), or any other body in order to bridge the budget shortfall.
Following Wednesday’s county council scrutiny committee - where the third crossing was discussed - Len Jacklin said: “This is the second time that Labour councillors have raised concerns over funding with the Conservative administration and the second time that they have failed to provide any assurances to councillors or the public. There is no explanation about where this final £10m is coming from and nothing is confirmed.
“This is a vitally important project for Lowestoft that needs to be completed on time and to budget. Waveney Labour councillors will continue to pursue the Conservative-led county council for the reassurance that Lowestoft residents deserve, that they will get the bridge they have long campaigned for.”
However Colin Noble, leader of Suffolk County Council, said the funds for the Lake Lothing crossing have been allocated and demonstrated.
He said: “The chief finance officer has written to government confirming his commitment to ensuring the funding, all £18.3million of it, is available.
“He also took a report to cabinet in May 2016 that agreed the county council had accepted the conditions of the funding. As that paper reports, the money could come from retained business rates, the Community Infrastructure Levy and New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership funding.
“Either way, it has been underwritten by the county council so that if these funding streams are not realised, it will be paid for.
“The funding required to complete the Lake Lothing Third Crossing is there and we are committed to ensuring the project is completed.
“The bridge will be built.”

http://www.lowestoftjournal.co.uk/news/ ... _1_4924658

[boatbuilder]

I thought I would post this direct link to a video from a link posted last December by SL-Dave.



This was the link which I am reposting for convenience in the event there may be updates : LAKE LOTHING -THIRD CROSSING

[Aussie K]

If the crossing is similar to that, it looks as if it can be a three lane highway and that I believe will suffice our requirements for many years into the future.
I would like to see two lanes over the existing bridge going south and two lanes over the new bridge going north removing some of the traffic lights and the traffic would flow like an oiled machine.