The Bressay Bridge

[BigMouth]

or get Sandy Cluness and Alan Whisart to Swim across the mouth of the harbour...

We could club together and hire some sharks for the day.

 

No no - we could offer people the chance to prod the swimmers with a stick - dunking them under - I'd pay a fiver

[tarotangel]

or get Sandy Cluness and Alan Whisart to Swim across the mouth of the harbour...

We could club together and hire some sharks for the day.

 

Bressa eens!

[JustMe]

Just out of interest, was there a controversy like this about the Burra/Trondra bridges? Also what are the annual running costs of those, and how often are they closed for weather?

 

How much I have no idea and although they are sometimes closed overnight for repairs I do not remember them being closed by weather although the surrounding roads might be closed by snow drifts.

[BigMouth]

Just out of interest, was there a controversy like this about the Burra/Trondra bridges? Also what are the annual running costs of those, and how often are they closed for weather?

 

How much I have no idea and although they are sometimes closed overnight for repairs I do not remember them being closed by weather although the surrounding roads might be closed by snow drifts.

 

Is this comparing like with like? Can a fishing vessel go under those bridges?

[JustMe]

Just out of interest, was there a controversy like this about the Burra/Trondra bridges? Also what are the annual running costs of those, and how often are they closed for weather?

 

How much I have no idea and although they are sometimes closed overnight for repairs I do not remember them being closed by weather although the surrounding roads might be closed by snow drifts.

 

Is this comparing like with like? Can a fishing vessel go under those bridges?

 

A small fishing boat might fit under the bridges though I have no idea about water depth but that is all. Both are low level bridges and the road is single track (without passing places on the bridges).

[BigMouth]

Thanks JustMe, I now know where we are talking about.

 

Very different bridges then. Wind speeds must be monitored and recorded here. I assume that someone has figured out what windspeed needs to be achieved to close the bridge. Bridge closures are generally phased in my experience, closed to high sided vehicles, closed to two wheelers and large vehicles and just closed completely. Has anyone done the sums and worked out how often it will be closed?

 

My view is that it should be a tunnel first. Failing that a low bridge under which shipping cannot travel and then a high bridge as the absolute last choice, but I am still of the opinion that we would be better off with no fixed link rather than a bridge. If this is about housing then we need to build it somewhere else. £30m or thereabouts could build some nice places out of town. If it is about the cost of providing ferry services to those on Bressay then the plan to have a ferry service on stand-by in case the bridge is closed is obviously flawed.

 

Or perhaps I am missing something?

[Fjool]

Using the latest computer modelling techniques based on the driving experienced around Lerwick, a simulation has been produced which shows the traffic-flow which can be expected in a tunnel to Bressay:

 

http://www.livevideo.com/video/F8FF567DD52146C6A593E52F4BBDB220/T.aspx

[JustMe]

A low level bridge is a non starter unless it has some sort of lifting mechanism.....and I have reservations about that in Lerwick due to the wind. Keeping the port open now and in the future has to be the port authorities priority and it should be the council's priority as well. Having bridge piers which the port authority consider a potential hazard to shipping has to be an absolute NO!

 

Just to throw something new into the debate I wonder why the Isle of Wight has never got a bridge or a tunnel. Just lots of ferries.

[BigMouth]

Just to throw something new into the debate I wonder why the Isle of Wight has never got a bridge or a tunnel. Just lots of ferries.

 

It's considerably further from the Isle of Wight to Portsmouth or Southampton than Bressay to Lerwick.

[JustMe]

Just to throw something new into the debate I wonder why the Isle of Wight has never got a bridge or a tunnel. Just lots of ferries.

 

It's considerably further from the Isle of Wight to Portsmouth or Southampton than Bressay to Lerwick.

 

Indeed yes but there is also much more traffic.

[BigMouth]

Indeed yes but there is also much more traffic.

 

And arguably a much lower expectation of such a frequent service. It is also a much more economically viable proposition due to the numbers travelling. The IoW is a very popular holiday destination for instance. It also has a population of about 130,000

[trout]

Remember that there is a thread on the old MyShetland site here where there was a rolling discussion to the Bressay Bridge:

 

view that thread here

 

It is 75 pages long! So is quite a read. Some good points from all angles though!

[Stirrer]

Just to throw something new into the debate I wonder why the Isle of Wight has never got a bridge or a tunnel. Just lots of ferries.

 

It's considerably further from the Isle of Wight to Portsmouth or Southampton than Bressay to Lerwick.

 

The Solent is quite wide across to Portsmouth or up Southampton water, but is very, very narrow at the pinch point about Yarmoouth (IOW) to near Lymington on the mainland.

 

I suspect that the reason there is no bridge cannot be cost, as there must be about a hundred ferry crossing a day to IOW, but height / width requirements because of the size of ships using the channel.

 

Now where have I heard this argument before ????!!!!

[moorit]

I suspect that the reason there is no bridge cannot be cost, as there must be about a hundred ferry crossing a day to IOW, but height / width requirements because of the size of ships using the channel.

 

Now where have I heard this argument before ????!!!!

 

Probably in one of your previous posts about the Bressay Fixed Link.

 

I note that you only suspect that is the reason. Have you anything to back up your suspicions ?

[trout]

A JOINT public meeting between Shetland Islands Council and Lerwick Port Authority to try to move the Bressay bridge issue forward looks set to take place next month, The Shetland Times can reveal.

 

SIC chief executive Morgan Goodlad and LPA chief executive Allan Wishart have been in contact to try to set up the talks which are likely to be chaired by an independent, such as an MP or MSP.

 

The move has come after Mr Wishart said last week that he wanted to see renewed head-to-head talks following the breakdown of previous discussions.

 

When in response SIC convener Sandy Cluness told The Shetland Times last week that he would be in favour of a public meeting of the full SIC and LPA on the matter, there was the momentum on both sides to get renewed talks back on the agenda.

 

Original article can be found here

 

From other areas of the council.

 

Shetland Islands Council AGENDA

 

Executive Director – Infrastructure Services Infrastructure Services Department (sic. Graham Spall)

 

A Meeting will be held at the Council Chamber, Town Hall, LERWICK, Shetland Isles at 10:30am on Wednesday 13 December 2006

 

BRESSAY BRIDGE RESOLUTION TO PROMOTE BRESSAY BRIDGE (SCOTLAND) BILL

 

1. Introduction

 

1.1. This report seeks specific authority from Members to promote a private Bill to progress the Bressay Bridge project.

 

2. Links to Council Priorities

2.1. A bridge to Bressay has been an aspiration of the Council since the mid 1970s and corridors are safeguarded in the current Shetland Local Plan.

 

2.2. The project is specifically listed in the Council’s Corporate Plan and the Local Transport Strategy.

 

3. Bressay Bridge (Scotland) Bill

3.1. The Council has promoted a series of Orders through various pieces of legislation that, if approved, would give the Council the necessary powers to construct the bridge to Bressay. As Members will be aware, Lerwick Port Authority has objected to the Scheme promoted by the Council under the Roads legislation.

 

3.2. Report No. TR-41-06-f to Infrastructure Committee dated 28th November 2006 reported the outcome of the facilitation process. One element of the facilitation process involved discussions on the current bridge proposal and Lerwick Port Authority confirmed that the bridge is not acceptable to them. In these circumstances, where Lerwick Port Authority's objections to the current bridge have not been withdrawn, the Roads legislation requires the Council to obtain authority to construct the bridge through the promotion of a private Bill in the Scottish Parliament. It is intended that the Bill would seek authority from the Parliament for all of the powers necessary to construct the bridge including the right to span the navigable waters of Bressay Sound with some of the bridge piers being located in the Bressay Sound itself, the right to acquire land temporarily and permanently and deemed planning permission. The parliamentary process will involve the consideration by a Committee of MSPs and most likely a professional assessor of the principles behind the proposed bridge, including its Shetland Islands Council economic justification and detailed matters such as any potential environmental impacts arising from its design and construction.

 

3.3. Before officers can promote such a Bill specific authority, in the form of a resolution, must be obtained from the Council in order to comply with the terms of section 82 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

 

3.4. The resolution requires to be passed by a majority of the whole number of the members of Shetland Islands Council.

 

3.5. Should the Council be minded to pass such a resolution and the Bill is subsequently promoted and introduced to the Scottish Parliament, for the purpose of complying with the terms of the said Act, a second meeting of the Council will be required to continue to approve the promotion of the Bill. A further report shall be made to Council at that time.

 

3.6. Members should be aware that the Scottish Parliament is currently considering legislation which will, if passed, remove the need for the Bressay Bridge to be considered through the Parliamentary process. If the legislation was passed as drafted then the various orders already promoted by the Council would ultimately be considered together by a Reporter appointed by the Scottish Executive. The Reporter would make recommendations to the Scottish Ministers on whether each of the Orders should be approved or not and the final decision would be for the Ministers. The indications are that this legislation might be passed before the end of the current Parliamentary session in Spring 2007 although it is not clear when the legislation would actually come into force. Most of the technical work which would need to be carried out to support the promotion of the Bill will be easily transferable to the new system, should it be implemented.

 

4. The Resolution

4.1.The resolution required to authorise promotion of the Bill is as follows: "That Shetland Islands Council do promote a private Bill in the Scottish Parliament to authorise the following amongst other purposes: The construction of all works in the Shetland Islands area required for a bridge spanning the navigable waters of Bressay Sound from the Point of Scatland, Lerwick to Heogan, Bressay. The construction of all roads for the purpose of the works. The permanent stopping up of specified roads and the temporary stopping up of roads for the purpose of the works. Provision for the acquisition of all land required for the purposes of the intended works, including land to be used for the purposes of construction, access, accommodation works and landscaping and other purposes; acquisition of rights only; extinction of rights of way over land to be acquired; and special provision as to entry on land and compensation and temporary possession of specified land. Provision for the acquisition of areas of seabed for the purposes of the intended works together also with rights of wayleave and servitude over seabed belonging to Crown Estate. Power to carry out coast protection works on adjoining land. Provision for all other related ancillary matters including the discharge of water and powers to enter on land for the purpose of surveying and investigating land.”

 

5. Financial Implications

5.1. The costs relating to the promotion of the Bill will be set against the Bressay fixed link project.

 

6. Policy and Delegated Authority

 

6.1. It is Council policy to build a bridge to Bressay, as established in the Local Plan, and in the decision in principle of February 2001.

 

6.2. Before a Bill can be promoted Shetland Islands Council must pass, by a majority of the whole number of members of the local authority, a resolution to promote it.

 

7. Recommendations

7.1. I recommend that Council approve the resolution set out in paragraph 4.1 to promote the Bressay Bridge (Scotland) Bill to satisfy the requirements of section 82 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, as amended, and to satisfy all other requirements of law.

 

Report No: IFSD-04-06-F