Replacement Castle Cornet bridge "will last for 50 years"

Tuesday 28 November 2023

A project to replace the crumbling Castle Cornet bridge that comes with a £7m price tag will ensure access for the next half century, those behind it have said.

The States’ Trading Supervisory Board has submitted proposals to replace the Castle Cornet Bridge with a like-for-like structure.

Loss of concrete from the bottom of the 1950s deck has been accelerating and if it is not dealt with the bridge will need to be shut because of the risk of it collapsing.

An initial list of options was compiled following an inspection of the bridge in 2018 and that work has been updated as further annual inspections have been carried out.

States’ Trading Supervisory Board President Deputy Peter Roffey said: “During this assessment of options, the like-for-like replacement of the structure with design improvements emerged as the overwhelming first choice.

“Not only does it have the shortest anticipated delivery time, lowest base cost, least risk cost and lowest optimism bias, it is likely to secure planning approval and require little more than scheduled maintenance for half a century to come."

“Access to Castle Cornet is vital to sustain its economic model and its use as a public resource. The bridge also provides access to the Castle Breakwater, which helps provide safe waters within the harbour, and the Castle Lighthouse, which provides navigational assistance to the maritime community as well as being a local point of interest.”

If approved by the States, the project will be completed by the end of 2026.

It is currently estimated to cost between £6-7 million, which includes funds for the continued monitoring of the current bridge until the replacement is completed.

There is a cordon in place underneath the bridge which people should not cross due to the risk of falling concrete.