Concerns over 'unsuccessful' lifting of Twin Sails Bridge

3:00pm Friday 28th September 2012 in News By Diana Henderson

Concerns over 'unsuccessful' lifting of Twin Sails Bridge Concerns over 'unsuccessful' lifting of Twin Sails Bridge

Concern about frequent closures to traffic of the Twin Sails Bridge has been raised at a full meeting of Borough of Poole.

Poole Town ward councillor Mark Howell, of Poole People said: “I have recently witnessed an unsuccessful lift of the bridge in the presence of the Bridge Champions where the spans stopped lifting at about 30 degrees from horizontal.

“Is this a continuing issue and, if so, what is causing this to happen? Have all other snags been dealt with to the portfolio holder’s satisfaction?”

He asked if there were other ongoing issues of significance and if contractor Hochtief had accepted responsibility for rectifying them.

The Daily Echo has previously reported on a catalogue of problems affecting the £21.6million bridge and more work is due to be carried out to repaint the white cycle lanes with high friction paint to prevent bikes slipping.

And land owner Gallagher will be carrying out work to remedy a defect found in Rigler Road, the link road in Hamworthy.

Cllr Xena Dion, portfolio holder with responsibility for transportation said the number of occasions when the bridge had not lifted on schedule between the end of March and end of July was two per cent of the total number of lifts.

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“Whilst this is a relatively low figure for a new moving structure with a significant degree of innovation, it does not reflect the level of reliability the council expect,” she said.

Most of the disruption related to the hydraulics that operated the triangular sails or the control system, she added.

Since July 28 there had been three occasions when bridge lifts were disrupted caused by problems with the power supply, an operator error and an unsuccessful software adaptation.

“Snagging work is supervised by a highly competent and experienced team and I am satisfied that they are doing a good job for Poole,” she said. Xena said the council had made payments to the contractor and design team in accordance with the terms and conditions of appointment.

A detailed report on the issues raised is due to be presented to the council’s revitalising the town centre board this month.

Comments(18)

MJD says...
3:57pm Fri 28 Sep 12

It a load of crap and as for the road layout and signage. As i have previosly said it will never work. Bet its not there in 86 years time and still working like the old Bridge.

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thevisitor says...
4:11pm Fri 28 Sep 12

Xena Dion, just what do you know about bridges? absolutely zero! Poole did not need such a complex design and this whole thing is a shambles. 2% failure rate? It should be 0%. Why cant this council wake up and understand this, we don't need to be famous around the world we just want a simple design that works. Ultimately it is a life risk if an emergency vehicle has to turn around or the lifeboat is delayed.

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Dorset Logic says...
4:48pm Fri 28 Sep 12

Come on the firth of forth had a 100% failure rate.

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Frank28 says...
4:51pm Fri 28 Sep 12

It's bound to have a lot of reliability issues if it's computer controlled! The best and most reliable designs are often the most simple ones, with an Up and Down switch.

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Frank28 says...
4:52pm Fri 28 Sep 12

It's bound to have a lot of reliability issues if it's computer controlled! The best and most reliable designs are often the most simple ones, with an Up and Down switch.

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Reader Echo says...
5:40pm Fri 28 Sep 12

'“I have recently witnessed an unsuccessful lift of the bridge in the presence of the Bridge Champions where the spans stopped lifting at about 30 degrees from horizontal. '

Would somebody explain what Mark Howell means by bridge champions. Is it anything to do with the twin sails bridge or is he on about the card game bridge?

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Reader Echo says...
5:48pm Fri 28 Sep 12

Frank28 wrote:
It's bound to have a lot of reliability issues if it's computer controlled! The best and most reliable designs are often the most simple ones, with an Up and Down switch.
Why should it be have reliability problems if it is computer controlled?

The old bridge will be driven by micro-processors somewhere in its control system, even if it does have an 'up and down switch'. In addition to this virtually all aircraft that are in the skies are computer controlled as well.

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jacekowski says...
7:15pm Fri 28 Sep 12

I've got no idea where bournemouth echo is getting this news from, but last problem on the bridge was power cut in poole on friday 21st around 6am. Last real fault that stopped the bridge was over month ago and anyone can use freedom of information act to confirm that - or just ask operators.

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sea poole says...
7:27pm Fri 28 Sep 12

Cllr Dion believes she's a font of knowledge for anything. She believes she not only wrote The History of the World but also created it! Just ask her about her encyclopaedic knowledge of travellers...and now bridges! Is there no limit to her knowledge...?

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chiefwolf2 says...
8:05pm Fri 28 Sep 12

Sack the council operator....Someone do a Freedom of Information Act request to find out the salaries of the people who operate this bridge using our taxes..... and did I mention sacking the operator... got to be gross misconduct....... Also where is Mr Jim Bright ? Keeping a low profile on this bridge now!!

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chiefwolf2 says...
8:07pm Fri 28 Sep 12

jacekowski wrote:
I've got no idea where bournemouth echo is getting this news from, but last problem on the bridge was power cut in poole on friday 21st around 6am. Last real fault that stopped the bridge was over month ago and anyone can use freedom of information act to confirm that - or just ask operators.
Are you one of the operators?

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jacekowski says...
8:13pm Fri 28 Sep 12

chiefwolf2 wrote:
jacekowski wrote:
I've got no idea where bournemouth echo is getting this news from, but last problem on the bridge was power cut in poole on friday 21st around 6am. Last real fault that stopped the bridge was over month ago and anyone can use freedom of information act to confirm that - or just ask operators.
Are you one of the operators?
No I'm not. However i know about all the faults (or lack of them in this case).

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oxoncherry2 says...
9:34pm Fri 28 Sep 12

Frank28 wrote:
It's bound to have a lot of reliability issues if it's computer controlled! The best and most reliable designs are often the most simple ones, with an Up and Down switch.
Couldn't someone attach a block and tackle or something? I can lift my wife using one of those!

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bourne free says...
9:44pm Fri 28 Sep 12

jacekowski wrote:
chiefwolf2 wrote:
jacekowski wrote:
I've got no idea where bournemouth echo is getting this news from, but last problem on the bridge was power cut in poole on friday 21st around 6am. Last real fault that stopped the bridge was over month ago and anyone can use freedom of information act to confirm that - or just ask operators.
Are you one of the operators?
No I'm not. However i know about all the faults (or lack of them in this case).
How does a person pressing a button at the civic centre make the bridge breakdown chiefwolf ?

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Yankee1 says...
11:36pm Fri 28 Sep 12

Oh, the humanity!

This will go on for years. Anyone who thinks otherwise is happy to take a rise in their local tax rate, which is bound to follow.

P.S. 'Iconic' is a code word for 'rip-off'. Just ask the people still paying for the Boscombe surf reef (sic).

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Phixer says...
5:53am Sat 29 Sep 12

Dorset Logic wrote:
Come on the firth of forth had a 100% failure rate.
The Forth Rail Bridge has been 100% successful.

The road bridge, however, is suffeing corrosion of the wires which are snapping at frequent intervals. It is thought that a new bridge will be needed in 20 years.

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BIGTONE says...
11:26am Sat 29 Sep 12

21.6 Mill fail.
I think it beats Bournemouth fails in one go.

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Reader Echo says...
10:17pm Sun 30 Sep 12

Sunday 1:15 30th Sept - Bridge out of action again!

Bridge down & barriers down with lights flashing and the old bridge was lifting.

All the cars on the Hamworthy side had to all do a U-Turn and go all the way round over the old bridge. Why did the signs lead us all down to the twin sails bridge I ask myself.

This as speculated is going to cost the taxpayers thousands and thousands of pounds in repairs and maintenance over many decades to come.

The bumbling clowns in Poole council responsible for this mess should be thrown out of office and strung up from the top of the useless bridge.

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