Sunderland, United Kingdom - Last week, after three years of construction works on site, the Northern Spire in Sunderland has been opened for public. Tuesday 28 August pedestrians and bikers could cross the bridge for the first time. On 29 August the first cars drove onto the bridge deck, passed through the 105m high central steel pylon and cross the 340m long bridge. Among the first was a convoy of locally fabricated Nissans cars.

The Farrans-Victor Buyck Joint Venture invested more than one million man hours on site in the construction works. This does not include the hours performed at the workshop and the head office of Victor Buyck in Eeklo, Belgium, for the fabrication of the major civil structures of the project: the steel bridge deck and the steel pylon, and for the preparation of the technical operations: two bridge deck launchings, the pylon transport and the pylon erection. Our joint efforts have led to the success of the project, for which the project has received several awards and compliments of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

With the opening of the bridge the Sunderland City Council wants to improve the connection between the port and the industrial areas, and wants to solve traffic congestions. It will serve as a catalyst for economic improvement and stands in the skyline as a monument for the city of Sunderland. Effectively the project shows and has shown the skill, knowledge and professionality of Victor Buyck and its employees.