Tamar Bridge

Tamar Bridge
View from the Royal Albert Bridge, 2009
Coordinates	50°24′29.29″N 04°12′12.20″W / 50.4081361°N 4.2033889°W / 50.4081361; -4.2033889
Carries	A38 trunk road
Crosses	River Tamar
Locale	Saltash – Plymouth in southwest England
Website	www.tamarcrossings.org.uk
Characteristics
Design	Suspension bridge
Longest span	335 metres (1,099 ft)[1]
History
Constructed by	Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company
Construction start	July 1959
Construction end	October 1961
Opened	26 April 1962
Rebuilt	1999–2001
Statistics
Toll	£2.60 (cars) eastbound only
Location

The Tamar Bridge is a suspension bridge over the River Tamar between Saltash, Cornwall and Plymouth, Devon in southwest England. It is 335 metres (1,099 ft) long, running adjacent the Royal Albert Bridge, and part of the A38, a main road between the two counties.

During the 20th century, there was increasing demand to replace or supplement the Saltash and Torpoint ferries, which could not cope with the rise in motor traffic. The Government refused to prioritise the project, so it was financed by Plymouth City Council and Cornwall County Council. Construction was undertaken by the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company and began in 1959. It was unofficially opened in October 1961, with a formal presentation by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in April 1962. A reconstruction of the bridge began in 1999 after it was found to be unable to support a European Union requirement for goods vehicle weights. The work involved building two new parallel decks while the original construction was completely rebuilt. The project was completed in late 2001 and formally opened by Princess Anne in April 2002. The extra decks have remained in use, increasing the bridge's capacity.

The bridge is tolled for eastbound travel, with a discount available via an electronic payment scheme. It has become a significant landmark in Plymouth, Saltash and the surrounding area, and used on several occasions for protests or to highlight the work of charities and fundraisers.