27th February 2026

Following the successful lifting of Ross Bridge onto the barge for transportation earlier this week, preparations are now well underway for the installation of the temporary replacement bridge. The Gry Maritha ( the Isles of Scilly freight and support vessel) is currently in dry dock undergoing scheduled maintenance. The temporary bridge can only be installed once the vessel has exited the dock, which is expected to be on 4^th or 5^th March.

The temporary bridge is scheduled to arrive on site on Tuesday 3 March. Subject to weather and sea conditions, our aim is for the bridge to be installed and ready for use by mid-day Monday 9^th March. As this operation is heavily dependent on environment and marine conditions, timings may need to adjust, but we understand how important the reopening of the road is for residents and businesses and will complete the installation at the earliest safe opportunity.

The temporary bridge is a prefabricated modular steel truss bridge, selected specifically for the span and operational needs of this location. Once assembled on site, it will be lifted into position and although using a smaller crane, it is still a significant operation requiring appropriate wind, tidal and sea conditions. Importantly, the temporary bridge is designed to take the same loading as Ross Bridge and will allow single file traffic, controlled by traffic lights. The lights will be manually operated during working hours Monday to Friday, and vehicle actuated outside of working hours and on the weekend. There will also be a with a pedestrian footway in place.

Once the refurbished Ross Bridge is ready for installation, there will be a further three-week period where the road will need to be fully closed to allow the removal of the temporary bridge, preparation of connection points, then the installation of Ross Bridge, resurfacing and application of road markings. As you can appreciate, these phases of work are sequential, with each step dependent on the successful completion of the previous one, as well as on suitable weather and tidal conditions in this particularly exposed location.

We do very much appreciate the continued patience and understanding of the Penzance Community and give our absolute assurance that we are doing everything within our control to ensure the project is carried out as quickly and efficiently as possible.