On Tuesday, 29th October 2024, the Humber Bridge saw the removal of its two main gantries – once essential pieces of equipment used to access the underside of the structure for maintenance and repair.

The operation was undertaken at first light by the specialist contractor Volkerlaser. Each gantry was carefully lowered from the bridge deck onto a pontoon positioned in the Humber Estuary below, before being transported away for sustainable disposal.

These gantries had served the bridge for many years but had been out of commission for some time. As engineering techniques and working practices advanced, new and more efficient methods of carrying out inspections and repairs beneath the road deck were developed, making the gantries surplus to requirements.

Notably, the complex removal works were completed without disruption to traffic crossing the bridge – no closures or traffic management measures were required throughout the day.

Reflecting on the decision, Andrew Arundel, Chief Engineer at the Humber Bridge, observed:

“The gantries had been out of commission for some time as we had found more effective, efficient, and safe ways for contractors to carry out works under the bridge and road deck. As a result, the Board made the decision to remove them, and October 29 provided the right conditions to do so safely.”

The removal of the gantries marks the end of an era in the bridge’s operational history, symbolising the shift from older, labour-intensive methods of access to modern, safer, and more sustainable approaches to maintaining one of the UK’s most iconic suspension bridges.