Exeter bridge shuts for a month

Salmonpool needs essential maintenance

A bridge over the Exeter Ship Canel will be closed to traffic for a month whilst urgent works are carried out.

Salmonpool Swing Bridge along with the road to it, Clapperbrook Lane East, won't be accessible until Thursday 1 April.

Walkers and cyclists need not worry; a temporary foot and cycle bridge is being installed over the canal. But anyone who's left their car on the far side of the bridge [the Double Locks side] may find themselves without wheels until Easte.

The work involves lifting the bridge out and into the Valley Park Car Park, where the steelwork will be sand-blasted inside a large ‘tent’ to control dust. It will then be repaired and repainted, with new decking and railings installed before being lifted back into place.
 
An earlier structural inspection of the bridge recommended the maintenance. Subsequent issues with the operation of the bridge may have resulted in the bridge becoming inoperable if left unchecked.
 
Salmonpool Bridge is more than 50 years old and this is the first time it has had to be lifted out for major repair work.  These works are designed to avoid the need for similar works for another 50 years, and to enable the bridge to keep operating safely for users of the canal and Riverside Valley Park.

The temporary pedestrian/cycle bridge will allow users of the valley park to continue enjoying the area, although occasional short-term closures of the crossing will be necessary to allow for craning activities to take place safely.
 
Canoeists and kayakers will still be able to paddle along the canal through the works area, although again there will be occasional temporary restrictions whilst craning works take place.  Larger craft will be unable to pass up and down the canal at this point, as the temporary pedestrian bridge is a fixed structure.
 
Exeter City Council says it will make every attempt to keep to the timetable of works and minimise the disruption to users of the canal and the valley park, however as with all construction work there remain risks from the weather, covid-19 and Brexit which could delay the project.