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Bridge 'proved its worth' within year of opening

Andrew Turner
BBC News, Norfolk
Reporting fromGreat Yarmouth
Maddy Jennings
BBC News, Norfolk
Reporting fromFirst Eastern Counties No 2 bus service
Shaun Whitmore/BBC Herring Bridge and the associated four lane road approaches from the Southtown side of the river, looking eastwards to the sea. In the foreground are some motorhomes in a sales yard, with warehousing behind that. Shipping supply tanks and other associated port infrastructure and in the middle distance the Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach roller coaster is visible.Shaun Whitmore/BBC
£121m was spent building Great Yarmouth's Herring Bridge on the basis it would cut congestion and improve access for tourists, residents and businesses

A bridge that cost £121m - and closed for repairs within two days of opening - has been deemed a success on its first anniversary.

Herring Bridge in Great Yarmouth was at the centre of a big celebration on 1 February 2024, but engineers then spent several weeks fixing sensor faults.

Norfolk County Council said that a year on, the bridge had opened up new journeys, cut congestion and improved opportunities for business.

Graham Plant, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for transport, said: "I can assure you that [the bridge] has reduced congestion considerably, which is very pleasing."

"People are not queuing up at the Haven Bridge or Breydon Bridge," he said, and claimed businesses were attracted to Great Yarmouth "because we have a better road system".

Mr Plant added: "It's opened up Gorleston to people from Great Yarmouth; it's walking distance if you live in that area."

Andrew Turner/BBC Councillor Graham Plant, standing next to a banner depicting plans for the Third River Crossing, which was subsequently named Herring Bridge. He has close cropped hair and is wearing glasses, and a suit with blue and white striped shirt. He is pictured inside Great Yarmouth Town Hall and over his left shoulder is one of several marble tablets within the reception listing the aldermen and mayors of the borough from 1208 to present day.Andrew Turner/BBC
Graham Plant says the bridge has relieved congestion, which makes it easier for him and thousands of residents to get around Great Yarmouth and Gorleston

Carol Baker, 85, has lived in Great Yarmouth all her life. While not saying the bridge was good value for money, she said it had "done the job".

"I used to have to get two buses to get to Gorleston, but now I can come out of my house and get there in six minutes."

She said the journey previously took up to 45 minutes.

Pauline Westgate, 83, from Great Yarmouth, said new bus routes using the Herring Bridge saved about 30 minutes per journey.

"It's easy to get to shops in Gorleston and Lowestoft.

"I go straight home instead of going into town [to changes buses] and waiting about. It just works.

"We should have had it years ago."

Maddy Jennings/BBC Toni Norman has long blonde hair, is smiling and is wearing a black jacket with a pink bag strap across her chest. She's sitting on a grey leather bus seat and there's a pink grab pole in the upper left of the image. The window of the bus is dirty and it is not possible to decipher what is in the background. Maddy Jennings/BBC
Toni Norman, 51, said the roundabouts near Herring Bridge make her feel nervous

Toni Norman, 51, from Bradwell, said she does not like using the bridge because she is nervous of using the approach road roundabouts.

However she admitted it had made a difference to the Gapton Hall roundabout.

"There's a lot less traffic there, so it has made a difference, except I don't like it!"

Chloe, 30, said the bridge had made "a huge difference" on weekdays, saving about an hour on the school run.

"I can't imagine us without it now. [Before] there was just traffic all the time and it just made journeys so much longer."

Maddy Jennings/BBC Ian Holman is sat on a grey leather seat, looking into the camera and wearing a navy coat with a yellow scarf. There is an emergency exit sign on the window behind him, and the window is dirty. To the left of the window there is a grey pillar. Maddy Jennings/BBC
Ian Holman uses the bus multiple times a week

Ian Holman, 69, from Gorleston, said the new routes had not necessarily made his journey times faster, but the bridge had opened up new options.

"I use the bus three times a week.

"It was a good idea, but it's more convenient for people who live in Gorleston than in Yarmouth as they had limited services before," he said.

David Meadows, 83, from Bradwell, said: "I don't think it's been used to its full potential.

"You finish in the south of town, where there's a limited amount you can do."

Questioned on value for money, he added: "That's debatable, but we definitely needed a new bridge. I'm not sure if it's in exactly the right place, but it's very handy."

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