The Millennium Bridge across Douglas harbour will be noticeably faster this week.

Improvements to the controls carried out by the Department of Transport mean the span will whizz up and down and more than twice its previous speed.

Jason Roberts reports:

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The department says it carried out the work after businesses, road users and boat owners all expressed concerns about the amount of time it took to raise and lower the bridge.

DoT staff and specialist engineers carried out the work which involved new software and hardware for the control systems as well as upgrades to the hydraulic lifting gear.

More work is planned – with new and improved signals and better signage from the South approach.

Instead of the flashing red beacons, the department says it’s to put in more traditional traffic lights.