Traffic is running normally across a swing bridge on the A17 after workers have walked out on strike.
Three men who man the Cross Keys Swing Bridge in Sutton Bridge, downed tools just after midnight on Sunday in a pay dispute with Lincolnshire County Council.
Bridge keepers Simon Bedden and Tom Street, who are represented by trade union, Unison, were picketing close to the Sutton Bridge roundabout yesterday.
Four senior county council managers are covering the bridge during the week-long protest.
Unison shop steward Mr Street claimed that the bridge was not manned for 24-hour period between Sunday and Monday.
He said: “The reaction from the public has been pretty positive. The bridge has been opened to the road traffic as normal.
“We have had a few people waving and shouting at us.”
The bridge opens to river traffic 320 times a year including for 30 commercial ships travelling to Wisbech.
Mr Street says the bridge is manned round the clock as the tide times change each day and it is also covered by an 1892 act of Parliament which states that it is an on demand service.
Assistant director of highways and transportation Paul Coathup said: “Our contingency plan came into effect on Sunday morning and there has been no disruption to motorists since then.
“We are working closely with the two port authorities to make sure that we are also able to give passage to scheduled river traffic.”
The three workers say they will lose around 13.5 per cent of their take home pay if their terms and conditions are changed by the county council.
The men are fighting to keep their weekend allowances and paid meal breaks.
Unison claims that the move will save the county council £11,500.
But this has been denied by the county council, which says it is trying to be fair to its 6,000 employees.
The council and Unison singed a collective agreement three years ago which applies to all staff, including the bridge workers.





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