A UBP senator, several hundred visitors and local motorists were among those held up for more than 30 minutes yesterday after a technician's error caused the Longbird Bridge to malfunction.

Sen. Lynda Milligan-Whyte who was on her way to the Airport for a flight to New York, alighted her taxi, grabbed her bags and walked across the bridge along with a steady stream of visitors who were also keen not to miss their flights back home.

Mr. Howard Pugh of New York, who spent a week in Bermuda with friends in Somerset, ran half a mile with his wife and their luggage to ensure that they did not miss their plane.

Their cab driver received a call over the radio which explained the delay at the bridge.

"He let us off about half a mile before the bridge and he said we would have to walk,'' Mr. Pugh said. "I guess these things happen but we made it.'' Local travellers on auxiliary and motorcycles, were still able to continue on their journey, although they had to walk their vehicles over the length of the bridge before starting it up on the other side.

The bridge malfunction caused a traffic jam which extended past the Swizzle Inn in the west to Kindley Field Road in the east. This was aggravated somewhat by a group of dignitaries and passengers who were leaving the Airport.

The dignitaries -- local members of Parliament, Senators and top civil servants -- had attended the ceremonies that marked the transfer of air operations from the United States Navy to the Bermuda Government.

The Royal Gazette understands that the Longbird Bridge had been experiencing problems throughout yesterday morning.

Capt. Tim Bryan, commanding officer of the United States Navy, said the problems with the bridge arose because the normal operator was not working and he had been replaced by another less experienced person.

"The St. George's bridge (the Swing Bridge) was closed (yesterday) to boat traffic, so the Government moved that St. George's operator to the Longbird Bridge.

"It was basically inexperience with operating that bridge. The Longbird Bridge was not broken. There was nothing wrong with it. It was just that the operator was not used to the things that needed to be done to make that bridge work.'' A solution was found when a member of the United States Navy who was on a scooter and noticed the traffic jam, made his way to the front of the line and helped to get the bridge operating once again.

"We have asked the Government of Bermuda to take over the bridge and that was effective (yesterday),'' Capt. Bryan added.

Bermuda, through the Ministry of Works and Engineering, have been operating the bridge successfully since 1978 although the United States Navy performed all the routine maintenance.

Works and Engineering Minister the Hon. Leonard Gibbons said personnel from his Ministry were "getting familiar'' with the bridge's maintenance so that they will be ready for the job when it came.

Currently, the final steps in the full takeover of the bridge's maintenance is being negotiated between the Ministry of Works and Engineering and the US Navy.