Tamar Bridge to be closed to traffic while Olympic Flame is carried across
The Tamar Bridge will be shut to traffic while an Olympic flame torchbearer dashes from Cornwall into Devon in an historic scene to hand the baton on.
On the morning of Saturday May 19 the flame will begin its epic journey from Land’s End to London.
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By the evening the last Cornish torchbearer will run across the central deck of the bridge.
Cornwall Council jointly owns the bridge with Plymouth City Council and approached London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) to alter the original proposals.
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Initially the final Cornish Torchbearer was to run along the northern cantilever lane while traffic continued to travel across the main part of the Bridge.
However, council chiefs felt moving the torchbearer to the central deck provided an opportunity to showcase this historic moment.
Chris Ridgers, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for economy and regeneration, said: “We know that the eyes of the world will be on Cornwall. The Tamar Bridge is one of the most recognisable landmarks in the South West and we felt strongly that the torchbearer should be able to run across the main deck to provide a fitting end to this once in a lifetime opportunity.”
The Olympic flame is due to arrive at the Saltash side of the Tamar Bridge at 7.25pm.
The bridge will be briefly closed to traffic to enable the torchbearer to run safely across the main deck.
Nigel Blackler, the council’s head of transportation, waste and environment, said: “We appreciate that the closure of the tunnel and the bridge for a short period of time may cause some disruption to traffic but are putting plans in place to keep this to a minimum.
Emergency vehicles will be able to use the cantilever lane on the bridge throughout.
Both the Saltash Tunnel and Tamar Bridge will be closed to eastbound traffic at 7.10pm.
Westbound traffic will be able to use the southern lane until 7.30pm when the lane will be closed to all traffic until 7.40pm.
Comments
by noxbox
Friday, May 18 2012, 11:39AM
“I think they are closing the bridge so they dont have to spend more time in Plymouth than they have to with you bunch of whinge bags!”
by Hearald
Thursday, May 17 2012, 10:38AM
“is this to stop them falling off the bridge like so many others”
by jboy66
Thursday, May 17 2012, 2:08AM
“if there are extremely high winds, will the bridge be closed to the flame as it gets closed to traffic?”
by Doitdreckley
Tuesday, May 08 2012, 2:34PM
“Is this wise? Tim Jones of the Devonwall business council moans every time a road is closed to deal with an accident and the impact on business. What is different about a flamin' torch?”
by sandyshaw
Tuesday, May 08 2012, 2:01PM
“pogle63, our lives should never surrender to the time is money motto. That just favours the spirit of the Olympics which is money money money.
I think the bridge should have an all year round policy of making those crossing wait for 10 minutes for no other reason than to disrupt and annoy those who work on a time is money principle. The Bridge serves a purpose to allow persons to visit either Cornwall or Devon. If businesses use it that is up to them but is not their privilege.
Or the Bridge could be exclusively for private use and commercial vehicles/trade banned from using it. That would be my favoured option.”
by PL1Plym
Tuesday, May 08 2012, 4:02AM
“pogle63 Are you planning on crossing the bridge on that particular time on that particular day? If so you life must be so sad you have to moan about the way you do and your life is that planed out in advance to that degree. What do you do if you come across a traffic light that's on red you hadn't planed for? Sounds like your like is planned to the nearest second!
You have been given ample notice of the slight disruption so make alternative plans NOW! It's going to stop traffic for how long? A day, week? No less than ONE HOUR. Are you all that important that this is going to have such an affect on your lives?
Get over it... Once they have re opened it to traffic that is!”
by pogle63
Tuesday, May 08 2012, 12:44AM
“Oh great close the Bridge to traffic hold up hundreds of people on both sides whilst a torch is carried across it. Well it is great to see that common sense has truly gone out of the window.
There is no need at all to close the Bridge to paying traffic for this non-sense, there is a perfectly good footpath they could use and cause no disruptiuonj what-so-ever. Don`t these peopel realise that time is money to people who use the bridge, something many people cannot afford to loose in this day and age.”
by Gurnards_Head
Monday, May 07 2012, 10:55PM
“I was being sardonic Sandy insofar that I am not a fan of multinational corpratism particularly Macdonalds... Cadbury/ Kraft... and Coca Cola... (all American) as I feel they brainwash our children and probably harm their health in the process.
That said I was deadly serious with regard to budgeting as these things always overrun and need to be bailed out and in the final analysis if its their business event from which they will benefit handsomely but where the profits will mostly filter back across the pond then why on earth didnt they finance it in its entirety.
As an MD of a Cornish SME perhaps I am being incredibly naieve but the word sponsorship makes me cringe I will have none of it in relation to anything of a business or commercial nature, I am happy to make a donation without publicity to any event which raises money for usually strictly local good causes however.
What is guaranteed to raise my blood pressure is the waffle and hype promulgated by slick PR with the intention of bamboozling ordinary people into supporting sham events which they are forced to underwrite via their tax contributions, even before being ripped off again if they wish to attend.
When all is said and done toting a series of ridiculous gas fired torches around the UK will cost another fortune and cause repeated traffic hold ups with the Tamar crossing as a prime example.”
by sandyshaw
Monday, May 07 2012, 9:17PM
“Gunards, it's not our business event, it's the business event for McDonalds and Cadbury's etc.
And all the various other sponsors. That's what it's all about.”
by gedonyajanner
Monday, May 07 2012, 7:39PM
“Jesus, I could have bet my mortgage on the tone of these comments regarding this article. What a miserable lot you are. The event is happening the money has been spent ( most of which will get recouped in one form or another) nobody is forcing you to start liking the sports involved. I for one cannot wait for these games to start.”