Bridging the gap

Work is ongoing to construct a new bridge over the Ship Canal, part of the Port Salford development (and WGIS - the Western Gateway Infrastructure Scheme). It will be a lifting bridge, so capable of lifting the new road up and out of the way of any ships travelling beneath - so level with the parallel M60 Barton High level bridge.

The green crane in the foreground is on the Trafford bank, the white crane is on the Salford bank. Sheet piling is going in to help create abutments to protect the new bridge structure from being damaged by passing ships, narrowing the canal at this point.

The new bridge will be capable of carrying a road, plus footpath and cycling links, as well as a potential metrolink extension from the Trafford Centre.

Not the most artistic of photos, construction sites just look untidy and this is more of a record shot