Newport Transporter Bridge

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Newport Transporter Bridge
Newport Transporter Bridge from the east bank.
Official name	Newport Transporter Bridge
Carries	Motor vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians
Crosses	River Usk
Locale	Newport
Maintained by	Newport City Council
Design	Transporter bridge
Longest span	594 feet (181 metres)
Total length	645 feet (196.6111 metres)
Width	Three cars (gondola) (total width 108 ft / 33 m)
Opening date	12 September 1906
Toll	Motorcycles, Pedal cycles and pedestrians - free Cars - 50p

The Newport Transporter Bridge is a crossing of the River Usk in the city of Newport, South Wales, United Kingdom. It is a Grade I listed structure.

Designed by French engineer Ferdinand Arnodin, it was built in 1906 and opened by Viscount Tredegar on 12 September 1906.

The span is an example of the very rare transporter bridge concept, of which only eight exist worldwide. The design was chosen because the river banks are very low at the desired crossing point (a few miles south of the city centre) where an ordinary bridge would need a very long approach ramp to attain sufficient height to allow ships to pass under, and a ferry could not be used during low tide at the site.

The height of the towers is 242 feet (74 metres) and the height of the horizontal beam above the road is 177 feet (54 metres). The platform travels the 592 feet (181 metres) between the towers at ten feet (three metres) per second.

The bridge was shut down in 1985 because of wear. Following a £3 million refurbishment, it reopened in 1995 and continues to operate today. Today, the bridge is widely regarded as the most recognisable symbol of the city.

The one-way fare was 50p in 2003.

The bridge forms part of the classified highway network and is also where route 4 of the National Cycle Network crosses the River Usk and route 47 begins.

It was the focal point of the local millennium celebrations of 2000, where fireworks were fired from its length, and has been featured in several movies and television shows. It was the centrepiece of the Crow Point Festival in September 2006 to celebrate its centenary.

[edit] Gallery

The ferry platform can be seen at midspan, very close to the river, suspended from the travelling carriage.

The ferry platform, which can take six cars and 120 foot passengers, crossing the River Usk.

General view of the ferry platform, waiting for more vehicles to arrive

Information notice attached to the bridge approach.

[edit] External links

• Friends of Newport Transporter Bridge
• Photo Gallery
• BBC Wales coverage of the centenary of the Bridge
• On Google Maps
• Crow Point Festival -- Celebrating the centenary of the Transporter Bridge