On the South Ribble bank of the new tram bridge are two metal structures standing guard – but what are they?
Prestonians out for a stroll over the new bridge have been asking what the freestanding metal structures are for.
Blog Preston set off to find out and very quickly learned they are called ‘goalposts’.
Read more: The history behind Preston’s tram bridge
A spokesperson for Preston City Council confirmed: “The Goalposts act as a vehicle barrier but the design references the original trestles of the old bridge, in a contemporary interpretation.”
Not happy with that one line explanation, we gave the Eric Wright Group – who built the bridge – a call to understand a bit more about them.
They explained how important the structures are for protecting the bridge due to an access route which runs underneath it.
Managing director of Eric Wright Civil Engineering, Gavin Hulme, told Blog Preston: “The goal posts were required to protect the bridge, as there is right of access beneath it for adjacent farmers. Working in conjunction with the client and design team, the goal posts were designed to ensure that the main bridge was not accidentally hit or damaged by farming equipment passing underneath.”
And John Bridge, who came up with original design concepts as part of the proposals for the new bridge, told us more about the nod to the heritage: “The goalposts gateways on the south bank are designed to stop abnormal sized vehicles from accidentally scraping the underside of the bridge itself. They are anti-damage barriers essentially, designed to create a safe passage for certain farming vehicles etc crossing through underneath the bridge.
“When I was tasked to design them, we agreed that we could create a fitting reference to the Trestles on the old bridge.
“You’ll note when looking at them in detail, that the angle of the uprights, sat in concrete and dual post structure, with a triple beam over and even the gallows brackets… all relate to the old trestles. These not only of course reference the concrete modern version of the bridge, but also the original 1802 design.”
A spokesperson for DYSE structural engineers said: “The vehicle barriers on the Penwortham side of the bridge are certainly attracting attention, and we’re delighted people are so interested in them!
“While the goalpost shape makes for a great talking point, they serve a very practical purpose: protecting the bridge from any vehicles that might come down the adjacent farm road. So, tempting as it may look, they’re not there to set up a five-a-side pitch, though we appreciate the creativity of anyone who’s thought about it!”
