People in Barrow will soon see scaffolding going up around Jubilee Bridge as the second phase of a £1.5million refurbishment scheme gets underway.
Cumbria County Council is spending the money sprucing up the bridge in time for its centenary celebrations in July next year.
Specialist marine and industrial painting contractor Pyeroy will be blasting off existing paint work, inspecting the metal structure for corrosion, treating it where necessary and re-painting.
Work on the bridge has been is divided into three phases: the first already completed phase refurbished the Barrow span of the bridge. The current phase will tackle the Walney Island span between now and December. The third and final phase will involve the central rack and pinion lifting span of the bridge between January and May 2008.
Jubilee Bridge was built in 1908 principally to get workers from Vickerstown on Walney Island to Vickers Shipyard in Barrow itself. It cost some £175,000 to build and a toll was levied for crossing the bridge until the bill was paid off in 1935 bridge was renamed from Walney Bridge to Jubilee Bridge when the Queen Mother visited to formally waive the toll and make crossings free.
The refurbishment will restore the all the metal work above and below the road surface and repaint it in its original colour scheme of black and gold. In the coming weeks residents will see sections of covered scaffolding progressing along the Walney span as workers shot blast off the existing paintwork and re-paint the metal surface. The coping, or cast iron handrail, is also being replaced along the length of the bridge withe a new hardwearing glass reinforced plastic rail.
Jack Richardson, a Barrow county councillor and cabinet spokesman on highways, said: "Jubilee Bridge is a real feature of life in Barrow and Walney and deserves a good facelift. This £1.5million worth of work is more than cosmetic though, and will ensure that the bridge not only looks as good as new for its centenary, but also that it is fit to last another hundred years."
ENDS
Media enquiries to Justin Hawkins, Media Officer on 01228 606334