Construction work on the 50t Kerse Lift Bridge begins this week. Preliminary off-road work on the project started in August 2012 with works being carried out by Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering.

The new bridge has a hydraulically operated single-leaf structural steel deck that will carry vehicle traffic over the 6m-span of the new canal. It will be installed on concrete piled foundations.

During full operation, the bridge will open under the control of Scottish Canals up to three times a day during off peak hours. The full cycle of the bridge from opening to closing will last up to five minutes.

The construction of the lift bridge will also see the inclusion of a controlled crossing, which will allow an improved connection to the path network between Falkirk and Grangemouth and onto the National Cycle Network.