damage the environment.

Reassurances were made yesterday that a new temporary crossing being built, whilst the famous bridge is renovated, will not cause unwanted side-effects for marine wildlife.

Works and Engineering Minister C.V. (Jim) Woolridge said engineers were currently building a temporary bridge, in order to provide two-way traffic around the repair site.

The Government was currently negotiating with St. James Church, which owns land at the site, to make it possible for the plan to work.

He said it was the most viable plan and would no longer require the use of a Bailey Bridge.

Nothing would be done that would harm the marine life and the bridge would definitely be removed when work on Somerset Bridge is finished, he said.

He was speaking after environmentalists raised concerns over what effect the work would have on the flow of the water from the Great Sound through to Ely's Harbour.

Mr. Woolridge said the bridge was taking shape with a foundation of boulders through which the water would flow, and would open within a couple of weeks.

The whole idea was to have as little inconvenience as possible for the public, he said.

"We will have a two-way flow, in order to do that we have to put boulders down there and build it up,'' he said.

"Once it is finished, the boulders will be taken away. The engineers are professional people, they know you can't go there and do anything that would upset the environment.'' Environmentalists feared that, if the rocks were left in place there could be disruption to the water flow and subsequently possible damage to the marine life.

Sedimentation and erosion could also be a problem if the rocks in the water were left in place, they said.

But Mr. Woolridge said it was expected that all the work would be completed, and the temporary structure removed, by the end of June or early July.

He added there might be some dredging of the channel, landscaping and general improvement of the surrounding area, when the project is finished.

Somerset Bridge -- the world's smallest drawbridge -- is in urgent need of repairs to make it safe for traffic into the next century. Considerable structural work will be made to the bridge itself and the foundations.

ENVIRONMENT ENV TRANSPORTATION TRA