Boatyard counts losses as bridge lift row continues

Haven Bridge is not opening despite a £2m mechanical and electrical upgrade because of a row between Peel Ports and Norfolk County Council

A Norfolk boatyard claims it has lost £2m of business because of ongoing bridge faults.

Goodchild Marine Services, in Burgh Castle, near Great Yarmouth, said customers were put off placing orders because of fears the firm would become landlocked.

Three bridges cross the River Yare between the boatyard and the North Sea, with each of them experiencing repair and maintenance issues since 2019.

The latest problem with Haven Bridge is a row over operating procedures between its owner, Norfolk County Council, and its operator Peel Ports.

The bridge was only being opened at 10:00 and 14:00 BST daily until the row led to a total block on lifts

In 2019, the Haven Bridge suffered a catastrophic failure which led to a £2m rebuild of the 94-year-old structure, completed in December 2023.

National Highways also undertook a £7.5m refurbishment of the A47 Breydon Bridge in 2023 - and Norfolk County Council (NCC) built the £121m Herring Bridge, which suffered technical issues within weeks of opening in February 2024.

'Lip service'

Sue Goodchild and her husband Alan said they were determined they would not be forced into closure, but said they feared their reputation was being damaged because of unreliability issues of getting boats in and out of their yard.

“We have survived Brexit, the war on Ukraine, the cost of living crisis, but now just because one person can’t press a button we are facing huge problems,” Mrs Goodchild told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“It feels like we are being held hostage," she added. "Only opening the bridge twice a day has huge financial implications for us.

"If someone were to say you can only cross the A47 into Great Yarmouth twice a day there would be uproar - but for us boaters, no one cares.

“It doesn’t leave us with enough time to test our boats out at sea.

“We have worked tirelessly with Peel Ports, with NCC, have been to numerous meetings and tried to get our point across. All we get is lip service.

“It is not just a loss of business for us but for Great Yarmouth itself. We know of five companies who are going north to Hull because the situation with Peel Ports is so challenging.”

Richard Goffin, director of Peel Ports Great Yarmouth, said his staff at Haven Bridge were frequently subjected to threats of violence

On 9 April, Peel Ports shut the bridge completely, blaming a "health and safety concern".

It has given no further details, but it follows an incident in February when a malfunction caused the bridge to be closed to drivers and pedestrians.

Following the incident, Richard Goffin, director of Peel Ports, told BBC Radio Norfolk his staff were frequently being abused and called on extra security to be brought in when the bridge is open.

It is not clear if this is related to the health and safety concern at the centre of the latest dispute.

A spokesperson for Peel Ports said: “The key issue here is the safety of those who use the river and the bridge, and some members of the public have rightly expressed concerns about this.

“We are unable to comment on the reasons why the bridge has been out of action, as this is a matter for NCC as the owner of the bridge.

“We’re supporting NCC by not lifting the bridge to ensure safety as the highest priority.”

NCC has not directly said the issue relates to safety but that it is discussing “procedural aspects” of the bridge’s operation.

A spokesman said: “We had a meeting with Peel Ports on 9 May but, unfortunately, the issue remains unresolved.

"We understand this is a source of frustration for many river users.”