The Twin Sails Bridge will close for up to one week from Monday 14 March to enable annual maintenance works to be carried out.
The bridge will be closed to road traffic, including cyclists and pedestrians, from 7am. During the closure Poole Bridge will operate as normal with minimal disruption to marine traffic expected.
The works to be undertaken include annual preventative maintenance, some minor repairs and some general cleaning tasks. These include:
• Installation of shock absorbers
• High voltage supply – inspection and safety checks
• Hydraulics – annual service involving changing fluid and breather filters as well as checking numerous valves and controls for correct operation.
• Electrical – replacing failed LEDs, road studs and lamps in the various lighting systems.
• Control systems – checks and adjustments.
John Rice, Engineering Manager, Borough of Poole, said: “These bridges are an important part of our road network so it is essential we carry out annual preventative maintenance in a planned way to keep them operating efficiently and reliably in the long term. This maintenance is even more vital as we look to close Poole Bridge in the autumn for extensive repairs.”
The annual maintenance arrangements for Poole’s two lifting bridges is now being undertaken during planned closures of up to seven days as:
• Both bridges require regular essential maintenance to reduce the risk of breakdowns, minimise the risk of expensive repairs and maintain public safety
• It is becoming increasingly expensive to undertake work overnight
• External suppliers who carry out maintenance of the control systems, hydraulics and high voltage electrical equipment maintenance specialists can be booked in advance
• Working in March or April and September avoids winter weather conditions which can delay the progress of works as well as avoiding disruption during the busy summer period
• One bridge will still be available for road users
The annual closure of Poole Bridge will form part of the refurbishment works scheduled to start in the autumn.
