Boat stuck on Norfolk Broads as bridge will not open

Terry and Teena Everitt want to leave Norfolk on board their barge, Wehlau, but have been stuck here for six weeks because the company responsible for Great Yarmouth's Haven Bridge will not lift it.

The crossing - which must open to allow boats to leave the Broads and head to sea - has previously suffered from maintenance problems but is now in full working order.

Haven Bridge in Great Yarmouth opening to let a boat pass through in 2008 (Image: Denise Bradley)

However, Peel Ports are refusing to open it for ill-defined "health and safety" reasons and have not given any indication when it may lift again.

It is the latest flashpoint in an ongoing row between the firm and Norfolk County Council - which owns the crossing - that has led to a rising tide of anger among boaters and marine companies.

Peel Ports has refused to open the 1930s bridge for the last two months, with negotiations reaching a stalemate.

One firm claims it has lost millions of pounds of business because of the continued closure of the crossing.

The situation has left Mr Everitt threatening to attempt to pass underneath regardless of whether it is open or not - a manoeuvre he says could be "very dangerous".

"If it doesn't get resolved then we will have to risk going under," he said. "If we hit it with 120 tonnes of boat then they really will have a health and safety issue."

Terry Everitt lives on board the boat with his wife Teena (Image: Newsquest)

TRAPPED ON THE BROADS

Mr and Mrs Everitt, who have lived on the boat for 13 years, hope to sail their 100ft barge, Weh Lau to its new berth in Essex from its current mooring on the River Bure.

Before this, the vessel, which is nearly a century old, must undergo a historic ship survey at Alicat Workboats - a firm on the other side of the bridge in Yarmouth - to ensure it is seaworthy.

Going through Haven Bridge is the only option as the boat is too big to fit through the alternative route of Oulton Broad lock, near Lowestoft.

The move has been in the works for two years but due to the bridge blockade, they are stuck.

Wehlau was built in 1926 in Prussia, modern day Poland (Image: James Weeds)

"It is ridiculous," said Mr Everitt, who is retiring after running Everitt Marine Services - a Broads boat yard, for a number of years.

"They have no right to hold us against our will. 

"The bridge is fully operational. It feels like health and safety issues are being used as an excuse."

He is so exasperated that he says that if it is still not opening in two weeks time he will try to navigate under it.

The barge was built in 1926 in modern-day Poland (Image: James Weeds)

He warns this would be very risky because he could only attempt it during a low ebb tide when the water is flowing quickly out to sea. 

"We need a really low tide to get under - it is a big boat" he added.

"The trouble is the tide would be behind us, making it dangerous and we could lose control."

A view from Breydon Bridge, looking towards Haven Bridge in Great Yarmouth (Image: Newsquest)

BLOCKADE CONTINUES

Haven Bridge, which carries one of the main roads into Yarmouth across the Yare, has been shut to boat traffic since April.

It is a vital route that allows boaters to travel between the Norfolk Broads and the North Sea.

Because the bridge is relatively low, vessels can only safely pass when the bridge is open.

Peel Ports, as the operator of Great Yarmouth's port, has a statutory duty to operate the bridge as per two acts of parliament made in 1866 and 1925. 

Richard Goffin, director of Peel Ports, which manages Great Yarmouth Port (Image: Newsquest)

However, it is refusing to open it following an incident in February, when frustrated members of the public abused members of staff after it malfunctioned.

The move comes just months after multi-million-pound repairs were completed to bring the crossing back into operation after it suffered a major fault in 2019.

A spokesman for Peel Ports said: "These incidents exposed our staff to unacceptable risks that we escalated to Norfolk County Council for a resolution.

“Following several meetings aimed at resolving our concerns, NCC is continuing to refuse to accept any health and safety obligations and we are continuing our attempts to address this.”

NCC has said it is "keen to resolve the issue as soon as possible".

But for now, the two authorities remain at a stalemate.

WEHLAU

The boat was built in 1926 by Prussian shipbuilders in an area of Eastern Europe that is now part of Russia, close to the Polish border.

It is 100ft long and weighs 120 tonnes and is named after the province where it was built.