Bascule bridge towns face off in industry awards

They helped forge an unlikely kinship between two coastal towns desperate to see traffic flowing freely on their much-anticipated third river crossings. Now the friendly rivalry between Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft has been restored as both of their bascule bridges, which opened last year, go head-to-head for an industry award. The BBC takes a look at both constructions ahead of what could be their crowning moment.

The £121m Herring Bridge was designed to relieve pressure on Great Yarmouth's Haven and Breydon bridges, especially during the peak tourist season.

The resort is seen as a gateway to the Norfolk Broads and the North Sea, which serves Britain's oil, gas and renewables sectors.

It links the port area with the A47 - the main road carrying traffic to the Midlands and onwards to the north of England.

In Lowestoft, there had been calls for a third river crossing for many decades and plans for the bridge were approved in 2015.

As with its Norfolk cousin, the purpose of the £145m Gull Wing Bridge is to reduce traffic congestion in the area and shorten journey times.

A bascule bridge is made up of one or two movable spans, which pivot upward to allow river traffic to pass. The word 'bascule' means see-saw in French.

Lowestoft's Gull Wing Bridge is the largest of its kind in the world, sitting clear of the highest tide by 12m (39ft), with the bascule span 39.5m (130ft) long, 22m (72ft) wide and 35m (115ft) tall.

The leader of the Conservative-controlled Suffolk County Council, Matthew Hicks, said Gull Wing Bridge would stand as an "iconic new landmark" for the town.

Similarly, over in Great Yarmouth, the then Conservative MP for the town, Brandon Lewis, heralded the Herring Bridge as "genuinely iconic and game changing".

The double-leaf bascule bridge opens in the middle to allow river traffic taller than 4.5m (15ft) through.

It was made in two halves by a specialist firm in Belgium, before being transported by sea and up the River Yare to be installed.

Both bridges had been on the drawing board for many years before they came to fruition and finally opened in 2024.

The Herring bridge was first put forward by Norfolk County Council in 2016, with construction starting in January 2020. The whole process, from design, planning and consent, took about seven years.

It faced numerous setbacks and delays, including when a World War Two bomb was discovered, and a potential burrow of voles was found near the site.

It then had to shut for six days soon after its opening in February last year over safety concerns.

Things had not been any easier over the county border in Lowestoft, which saw its new bridge open seven months later than Great Yarmouth.

It was under construction from 2021 and finally opened in September. The whole idea of a third river crossing was reportedly first mooted in 1918.

It faced setbacks over safety works, and when a delivery was delayed.

Both bridges had been expected to open in 2023.

Norfolk and Suffolk have the champagne on ice for the The Bridges Awards on Wednesday.

They are both nominated for "Bridges Design and Construction Award", for projects over £10m.

So will bridges be burned or built between the Norfolk/Suffolk rival resorts?

Perhaps neither - also in the running is a £16m walking and cycling bridge over the River Severn Worcester.

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