ABSTRACT
The Tamar Bridge forms a vital transport link carrying the A38 trunk road over the River Tamar between the county of Cornwall and the city of Plymouth in the southwest of England, and when opened in 1961, its main span was the longest suspension span in the country (Figure 11.1). The bridge is owned, operated, and maintained by its original sponsors, two local authorities, Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council, and has relied solely on toll income to cover all capital and recurrent costs. The bridge is operated in conjunction with another estuarial crossing-the Torpoint Ferries-as a single business unit, by a joint committee formed by the two authorities.
