Havengore Bridge closed

[tillergirl]

This posted yesterday afternoon

"Good afternoon,
Havengore Bridge: Closed to marine traffic

This is to inform you that Havengore Bridge will be closed to marine traffic until further notice.

At approximately 14:30 this afternoon, a vehicle travelling along the main road onto Foulness Island collided with the bridge road safety barrier which was closed to allow a test lift. This has rendered the barrier safety system in-operable meaning that the bridge cannot be lifted until it has been repaired.

We will issue further communication when the bridge has been returned to service. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Nicki Uden – Community Liaison Officer, MOD SHOEBURYNESS RANGE"

 

[shanemax]

You can get through in a dinghy but you may get shot at.

 

[Aquaboy]

yet again the most unreliable bridge in the world is out of action.............

 

[RivalRedwing]

How come the crossing barrier is so invisible as to be hit when it is down, I know it is the county on the North side of the estuary but even so.... ;-)

 

[LittleSister]

This has rendered the barrier safety system in-operable meaning that the bridge cannot be lifted until it has been repaired.

It'll be great when they invent traffic cones.

 

[tillergirl]

How come the crossing barrier is so invisible as to be hit when it is down, I know it is the county on the North side of the estuary but even so.... ;-)

Oh that will be a test

 

[shanemax]

How come the crossing barrier is so invisible as to be hit when it is down, I know it is the county on the North side of the estuary but even so.... ;-)

Better where it happened than at a railway crossing barrier.

 

[penfold]

It'll be great when they invent traffic cones.

That would require common sense on the part of the users; some hazard tape strung between bollards would be more idiot proof. The keeper of the hazard tape will need a tabard and perhaps a hard hat for maximum safety.

 

[shanemax]

That would require common sense on the part of the users; some hazard tape strung between bollards would be more idiot proof. The keeper of the hazard tape will need a tabard and perhaps a hard hat for maximum safety.

You have increased my knowledge. I had to look up the word tabard. Not a word I use or hear used. Why would "the keeper of the hazard tape" need to wear what school dinner ladies wear. ( i know they do reflective ones) oh and just out of interest
Knights with swords wear a tabard.

 

[galeus]

My wife has a theory that they do this on purpose to cheese us all off, until there is no point manning it, and or when it's damaged inoperable they don't have to man it.
I'm not even shore what the purpose of the barrier is as small 14 footish boats can go around the barrier at will.
I do realize the barrier is to prevent boats out when they are firing etc. but the point is it doesn't.

 

[LittleSister]

I do realize the barrier is to prevent boats out when they are firing etc. but the point is it doesn't.

I am not sure that's true. I have been through the open bridge (into the Thames) when there was firing going on, warned about it and told not to turn NE by the very helpful woman, er, manning the bridge (and then called up by her a few minutes later to correct our course as we were initially struggling to identify which of the various posts we could see were the first of those for the path across the sands).

We could certainly very much hear the firing alarmingly close at hand!

I suppose that perhaps it's intended to ensure that small boats can't get through when/if there's no-one there to advise, but I'd always assumed it was to prevent boats getting stuck under or damaging the bridge.