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PostPosted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 4:44 pm
by Sunflower
McShad wrote:... something IS happening to bells bridge as there is a container at the south end of it and all the perspex from the 'roof' has been removed!


Anybody know anything more about this? (Alex?) That was September last year, the container's gone recently (about when they took down the hoarding round the BBC building), but the bridge is still roofless.

PostPosted: Mon Aug 14, 2006 5:34 pm
by McShad
The container went a couple of days before the River Festival.

You are a beercan throw from Ibrox? must be pissing distance from me then

PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 2006 4:54 pm
by Sunflower
McShad wrote:The container went a couple of days before the River Festival.

Ahh - There were so many people I couldn't see where the container wasn't. D'you think it's a cunning plan by someone to nick a load of scruffy perspex panels? ("Well no-one's missed them yet so it must be safe to move the container now.")

McShad wrote:You are a beercan throw from Ibrox? must be pissing distance from me then

Well, more like ideally placed for a Rangers supporting BBC worker (soon).

PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 2006 5:30 pm
by McShad
I was thinking about it when I crossed it this morning. Now the bridge isnt opened very often, its possible that they have done this to reduce wind drag. I've seen them struggle to get the bridge locked closed when there has been a slight breeze and the perspex canopy would act like a wind sail.

As for Ibrox.... I can land a beer can in their car park easily from my window.

If you work for BBC.... gonna tell them to switch off the bloody lights in the new building... what a waste of money

PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:52 pm
by Sunflower
That's inspired - I met someone the other week who sometimes has a hand in working it, and they said it can be a real struggle. But the roof was good for a bit of a respite from the rain sometimes.

On the location, I meant more it would be good for someone who was a Rangers supporting BBC worker - if I worked for the BBC it wouldn't just be the lights I'd be having a word with them about. If I thought there was the faintest chance they'd take any notice.

And have you seen the way they've left the join between the bridge and the tacky paving along the riverside????

PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2006 12:45 am
by McShad
Yes, its a bit of dirt and gravel... but I'm giving them some grace period for the landscapers to finish. They've started dismantling the main cabins today which housed the offices and canteen.

And as for the brand new build, I've already seen someone pissing over the fire exit

PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2006 6:33 pm
by Sunflower
McShad wrote:And as for the brand new build, I've already seen someone pissing over the fire exit

Bit of territory marking from the rival bunch up the river maybe?

Back to the bridge roof - Thanks for making me remember my contact, I fired off an email and you were right. They can't open the bridge if it's too windy, and it needed to be opened regularly over the winter for barges to take stuff from the dock to the new bridge. They didn't want to risk the work being held up, and taking the roof panels off made the bridge more stable. No info on whether the roof's going to go back on though.

Now then, about that container...

PostPosted: Wed Aug 16, 2006 6:51 pm
by Alex Glass
Sorry I have been slow in picking up on this issue.

I will try to find out what is planned here and if the roof panels are to be put back and get back as soon as I can.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:05 pm
by Alex Glass
I can confirm that McShad and Sunflower are correct to a point. The removel of the panels do aid the movement ov the bridge during high winds. However, when the panels were removed in September last year there was concern about their condition.

There are no plans to replace the panels.

The bridge has not been adopted by the Council and Scottish Enterprise still has responsibility. Negotiations are underway to transfer the bridge to the Council.

Hope this information is helpful.

On the matter of lights within the BBC development. Can you confirm if these lights are causing a problem for residents? It they are either the Area Planning Officer or Building Control may be able to assist.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 9:35 pm
by Sunflower
Hi Alex, Thanks for following that up, nagging curiosity is a terrible thing!

The bridge looks rather unfinished without the panels, though it's better for it to have no roof and keep on opening than have a roof and not be able to open, if it ever came to that choice.

It would be great if a way can be found to make more of a feature of it opening, it could be a great tourist draw (admittedly not helped now by that hulking great glass block looming over it), bringing more people to enjoy the riverside. Needs to be more going on there.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 10:44 pm
by Alex Glass
Great idea Sunflower.

I think that this may be a possibility when some of the developments along the river side are completed. It may be something that could be trialed at next years River Festival. The difficulty at present is connectability. Other than people going to the SECC how would you get people to go to see the opening?

I will find out who organises the River Festival and pass on your suggestion.

PostPosted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:27 pm
by McShad
I fear that the bridge will be rarely opened as of now. The squint bridge is almost done and the Pride O' The Clyde rarely needs it open to pass underneath. No other boat sails further up the clyde.... anything that does docks at the secc pontoon.
The only time I can see it open will be the annual river festival.

As for the BBC building.... there is no residents for it to affect. I read this morning how the BBC are getting chined for wasting money on taxis... I just think they should stop wasting money by leaving all those lights blazing all night. OK OK OK, they will energy efficient lamp perhaps, but they still burn energy

PostPosted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:54 pm
by Alex Glass
Sorry McShad I thought there may have been a problem with light polution.

Is it possible that the lights are on for health & safety reasons whilst work is being carried out or have I got it wrong again?

I take your point about the waste of energy. May be a letter to the Governor General drawing his attention to this will prevent a further increase in the License Fee.

PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 5:43 pm
by Sunflower
Sunflower wrote:It would be great if a way can be found to make more of a feature of it opening, it could be a great tourist draw...

Alex Glass wrote:... how would you get people to go to see the opening?


Been inspired to revive this thread because twice in the last couple of weeks I've been lucky and happened to arrive at the bridge just as it was starting to open for the Braehead boat. :D Everyone in range stopped to watch, and seemed to be enjoying it, it's one of those fun things.

Obviously somebody knows when the bridge is going to open - the boat runs to a timetable, the tides are more or less predictable and anyway, the guys have to be there to open it - so how about a website with next planned opening times posted on it? There could be a notice with the address at the bridge, people with fancy phones could do a quick check and see if it was worth waiting around. Or a phoneline with a recorded message... Guess it would cost a bit to do, but it couldn't be that much. Could it?

PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 1:35 am
by McShad
Think about it for a minute... all that hassle to see a bridge opening?