Twin Sails Bridge | |
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Coordinates | 50°42′55″N1°59′35″W / 50.715282°N 1.992932°W Coordinates: 50°42′55″N1°59′35″W / 50.715282°N 1.992932°W |
Locale | Poole, Dorset |
Characteristics | |
Total length | 139-metre (456 ft) |
Width | 10.8-metre (35 ft) |
Location | |
The Twin Sails Bridge (also known as The Second Harbour Crossing) is a double leaved bascule bridge in Poole, Dorset, England. The bridge provides a second road link from Poole Town Centre to Hamworthy. The intention is that the bridge will allow development of four major sites, two in Poole Town Centre and two in Hamworthy, including the old power station, which was closed in 1988. [1]
The bridge spans the Backwater Channel which links Holes Bay with Poole Harbour. The bridge and approach roads are connected to the junction of West Quay Road in the East and to urban feeder roads in the West.
The new bridge is intended to operate alongside the existing Poole Bridge with one of the bridges always open for vehicular traffic (except during closures for maintenance or in a marine emergency), the intention is that variable-message signs will direct traffic to the open bridge. [2] The bridge comprises a 10.8-metre (35 ft) wide carriageway with two vehicular lanes and two separate cycle lanes. [3] Additionally two 2.5-metre (8 ft) wide footpaths are provided which cantilever from the bridge. The bridge is constructed in five spans, with a total length of roughly 139 metres (456 ft). The approaches comprise two 27-metre (89 ft) spans, the centre lifting span consists of two triangular leaves that span 23.4 metres (77 ft) between the main bearings to provide a clear channel of 19 metres (62 ft) when open. [3] To permit the passage of boats through the navigation channel, the lift spans were planned to pivot to 88 degrees [4] powered by two hydraulic rams which operate up to 15 times per day [5] and take two minutes to fully open. [6] Two 55-metre (180 ft) high masts are fitted to the lifting leaves, the top two metres illuminated with white LED lights. [7] Four 7-metre (23 ft) high pillars housing the barriers, lights, speakers and traffic controls which link the bridge with the control room are located on the two fixed spans adjacent to the lifting section.
Hochtief (UK) Construction was awarded the £18.5 million contract for the construction of the bridge. The contract for the supply of around 900 tonnes of steel was awarded to Cleveland Bridge UK. Gifford UK (Ramboll) worked with Wilkinson Eyre Architects as lead design consultants. Metamont Ltd installed marine grade stainless steel balustrade including the variable colour DMX lighting. [8]
Plans for a new bridge date to the 1980s, with the second lifting bridge concept being suggested in 2000 after a fixed bridge crossing Holes Bay and linking with the A31 was cancelled by the government in 1998. The council submitted detailed plans to Department for Transport in 2004 and following a public inquiry in 2005, [9] the £37 million [1] Twin Sails bridge project was given approval in 2006/7 but construction was initially delayed due to a stalemate between the council and the land owners. [10] After negotiations were settled in August 2009, there was a further delay in the allocation of the £14.14 million government grant which was finally agreed in March 2010. [11]
Construction began in May 2010 with completion and opening planned for late February 2012. [12] Problems with the road surface caused the bridge to remain closed although the opening ceremony and visit by The Princess Royal went ahead in early March 2012. [13] The bridge opened to traffic on 4 April 2012 after the road surface had been relaid, the first motor vehicle crossing at 9.38AM. [14] Problems with the bridge operation continued in the summer of 2012 with delays caused through the barrier operation and lifting mechanism as well as continuing defects in the road surface. [15]
The bridge was closed again beginning 16 November 2018 due to a hydraulic issue with its lifting mechanism. [16] [17] [18] [19]
In 2019 BCP Council, of which Poole Borough Council was absorbed by, convened an emergency meeting due to the issues with the bridge become "unacceptable". [20]
The bridge continued to be closed down due to technical problems [21] up to 2020. These design issues are apparently caused by a design issue with the bridge [22] as the bridge itself has an unusual design compared to a typical bascule bridge.
On 16 January 2023, a section of the bridge snapped due to a technical fault. [23]
Tower Bridge is a Grade I listed combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, built between 1886 and 1894, designed by Horace Jones and engineered by John Wolfe Barry with the help of Henry Marc Brunel. It crosses the River Thames close to the Tower of London and is one of five London bridges owned and maintained by the Bridge House Estates, a charitable trust founded in 1282. The bridge was constructed to give better access to the East End of London, which had expanded its commercial potential in the 19th century. The bridge was opened by Edward, Prince of Wales and Alexandra, Princess of Wales in 1894.
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Poole is a coastal town and seaport in Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is 21 miles (34 km) east of Dorchester and adjoins Bournemouth to the east. Since 1 April 2019, the local authority is Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council which is a unitary authority. Poole had an estimated population of 151,500 making it the second-largest town in the ceremonial county of Dorset. Together with Bournemouth and Christchurch, the conurbation has a total population of nearly 400,000.
Poole Harbour is a large natural harbour in Dorset, southern England, with the town of Poole on its shores. The harbour is a drowned valley (ria) formed at the end of the last ice age and is the estuary of several rivers, the largest being the Frome. The harbour has a long history of human settlement stretching to pre-Roman times. The harbour is extremely shallow, with one main dredged channel through the harbour, from the mouth to Holes Bay.
Upton is a town in south-east Dorset, England. Upton is to the east of Holton Heath and Upton Heath, and to the north of the Poole suburb of Hamworthy. It is the second largest town in the Purbeck Hills.
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Poole Power Station was a coal-fired power station located in Hamworthy, Poole, in Dorset. Its 325 ft tall twin chimneys were prominent landmarks and it was the tallest building in Dorset until its partial demolition in 1993.
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The Party for Poole People is a movement and local political party in Poole, Dorset, England. Defining itself as neither left or right wing, the party has stood in elections for the former Poole Borough Council and the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council which replaced it. On the council it is part of the Poole Independents Group, which includes all three Poole People Councillors, one Alliance for Local Living (ALL) Councillor and one independent Councillor. It was previously part of the "Unity Alliance" administration on Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council from 2019 until a vote of no confidence in 2020, after which the party has been in opposition. It was founded in 2010 by Mark Howell, and has contested three local elections, as well as the Poole constituency in the 2015 UK general election.
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