Great Yarmouth Herring Bridge opening delayed until 2024

The opening of a £121m bridge to road traffic has been delayed until the new year.

Norfolk County Council and its main contractor said the Herring Bridge project required a team of commissioning specialists before completion.

The bridge in Great Yarmouth - due to be the town's third river crossing - was due to open in September.

The council and contractor Bam Farrans thanked people for their patience.

A suspected vole burrow and the unplanned detonation of a World War Two bomb were blamed as reasons for previous delays.

During the commissioning specialist phase, the bridge would undergo its final testing and the operators would complete training - although the bridge could be deemed operational to shipping before January - the council said.

Bam Farrans is under contract to operate the bridge for the first year and Norfolk County Council said the delay would not lead to any additional costs.

But local Labour councillor in Great Yarmouth, Mike Smith-Clare, said he had not received sufficient explanation for the delay.

He said: "I'm asking questions at county and local level and to be honest, what I'm finding is no clear answer.

"We thought the bridge was going to be open in the summer of 2023. When I asked at council when that was going to happen and why it was being held up, I found out it was going to be the autumn time.

"We are now hurtling towards December almost and nothing is happening."

In a statement, Norfolk County Council and Bam Farrans said: "We are in the final stages of preparing Herring Bridge for opening and we would like to thank the public for their continued patience and support.

"Our team is working closely with the port authority to bring the bridge into operation for river traffic, which we anticipate in the coming weeks. The road section will follow thereafter.

"We will provide further details on an opening date following the completion of our marine vessel operations phase."

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