Spencer Bridge Engineering, a specialist engineering firm based in Hull, has successfully completed the manufacturing and testing of a bespoke access system for a major infrastructure project in British Columbia, Canada.

The company is delivering a unique access system for the new Pattullo Bridge replacement project near Vancouver, a scheme valued at approximately $1.4 billion (or £1.05 billion). The new cable-stayed bridge will replace the existing 1937 crossing over the Fraser River, linking the municipalities of Surrey and New Westminster.

The core of Spencer Bridge Engineering’s work is the Stay Cable Mounted Access System. This custom-designed equipment is essential for the long-term integrity of the new bridge, allowing maintenance engineers to safely inspect all elements of the stay cables—the vital tension elements that support the bridge deck.

The system recently passed rigorous Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) in the UK. This testing was witnessed by the client’s representatives, Fraser Crossing Constructors General Partners (FCCGP), and an independent third-party checker. The equipment has now been shipped via sea freight for installation in Canada.

Spencer Bridge Engineering Senior Design Engineer Harry Towle highlighted the technical complexity, stating: “The concept for this access system is unique in several ways, meaning it has been a particularly complex project. The system has also been designed and built to European standards, but is operating under Canadian standards, which has meant that the design journey has had to satisfy dual compliance.”

The contract covers the complete design, manufacture, testing, and eventual commissioning of the access system. The project demonstrates the successful export of specialist UK civil and structural engineering expertise to North America’s vital infrastructure sector.