The towns and ports around the Severn estuary often required bridges that could allow shipping through at high tide but also carry road and pedestrian traffic across the river. An iconic example is the Newport Transporter Bridge, a spectacular and rare type of bridge design with a gondola suspended from a huge ironwork gantry, which ferried vehicles and pedestrians from one bank to the other, leaving the river Usk clear for ships to pass. It is a prominent feature of Newport’s skyline and a reminder of the days of shipping, the docks, and the tides. It is still in use – when open- but new road bridges now carry the bulk of the traffic across the river.
More images (various dates)
Jump to the place marker on the SES map here
The Severn Estuary Survey (SES) 