VP's Groundforce launches temporary bridge service

UK rental firm Groundforce - part of the VP plc group - has launched a new temporary bridge, Groundforce Bridge, offering a range of flat-pack rapid-installation bridges from pedestrian-only to a 110 t capacity 'Mega Bridge' capable of carrying industrial plant and heavy vehicles.

Groundforce Bridge was launched in April 2012 to offer temporary bridges to the construction, transmission, rail and events industries. Terry Mead, previously projects director with TPA Portable Roadways, a sister rental business within VP plc, heads the new division.

The new business has already supplied its first Mega Bridge to Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions. The contractor needed to provide access across a stream on farmland where it was installing new electricity towers.

The Mega Bridge, although the largest in the Groundforce range, can be installed in under four hours by a team of four people.

For the Balfour Beatty project the Mega Bridge was assembled above an existing concrete bridge. Steel ramps were used with a quantity of stone ballast to provide smooth access onto the elevated bridge deck. The bridge will remain on site for approximately three weeks.