Sutton Harbour footbridge has reopened
19th April 2019
The Sutton Harbour pedestrian footbridge reopened on Good Friday (19 April).
The footbridge, which crosses Sutton Lock and connects the historic Barbican quarter to the east side of Sutton Harbour via the National Aquarium and the fishing quarter, is now fully operational following the successful fitting of the new one-tonne bearing.
Following the installation, full testing has been carried out by expert teams during the last week to ensure that the hydraulics and electrics are working effectively and safely, with the lock remaining open to marine traffic for the majority of this time.
Plymouth City Council commissioned the repairs, which involved a complex engineering project with a bespoke bearing manufactured in America after local engineering companies turned down the commission.
The repairs have been jointly funded by Plymouth City Council, Sutton Harbour Group and the Environment Agency with all three organisations contributing more than £250,000. Plymouth Waterfront Partnership also contributed £10,000.
The custom built pedestrian footbridge across Sutton Lock was fitted over 20 years ago as part of the installation of the Sutton Harbour lock gates. The lock gate’s main function is to manage flood risk and allow marine traffic, such as fishing boats, to enter Sutton Harbour.
The lock footbridge will be open to the public between 6am and 11pm seven days week with the exception of Christmas Day when it will be closed. Operating times are dependent on waiting marine traffic, which takes priority.