Only the brave will want to use Lowestoft’s new river crossing – speeding up a steep ramp and zooming through the air before landing on the other side.
The long-awaited design for the fun new crossing, which will help ease the town’s infamous traffic problems, has been welcomed by the more adventurous motorists.
[AdSense-A]
Boy racers say they can’t wait to rev up the engines on their powerful Vauxhall Novas and launch themselves off the ramp like a stuntman.
They say there will be unofficial records kept of who can leap the furthest while landing safely.
Estimates show drivers need to reach 66mph to generate sufficient speed to get up the ramp and leap the 200-foot gap safely.
They will need to use all their skill to keep the flying car level to ensure a safe landing.
But not all Lowestoft residents are keen, fearing some will not go over the ramp fast enough and will end up plunging into the water below.
Town councillor Bill Withers fumed: “This is a ridiculous and dangerous scheme. Many local people are elderly, and I can not see them wanting to take a run at the ramp and leap over to the other side in their little runaround cars.
“They rarely get above 20mph, so there could be carnage. Why can’t architects come up with a normal bridge?”
[AdSense-B]
Construction company E. Ville & K. Neavel Ltd defended the scheme.
Director Keith Neavel explained: “Not only will it help solve Lowestoft’s traffic problems, but the ramp crossing will soon become a tourist attraction.
“People from miles around will come and watch as locals take their turn to try to jump across in their cars.
“It will be the best spectator sport to come out of Suffolk in years.”
Health and Safety executives are currently studying the plans, and expect to give the go ahead for building work to begin next year.
