A new £1m bridge is to be constructed to help boost canal traffic heading towards The Helix project.

The 50-tonne Kerse Lift Bridge will be installed on Glensburgh Road, Grangemouth, with construction work to begin today and expected to last until October.

The crossing is part of the £43m Helix project, which will see 300 hectares of land between Falkirk and Grangemouth transformed into parkland.

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

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Robert McMaster, Head of Roads and Design at Falkirk Council, said: "The ongoing work at the Helix will inevitably mean some localised disruption and we apologise for this in advance.

"The bridge is a vital part of the Helix’s infrastructure and this work needs to be carried out."

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.

The Helix project is expected to be completed in 2013.

(JP/CD)