World's longest bridge opens


INTRO: China has opened the world's longest cross-sea bridge, linking Shanghai with the booming port city of Ningbo.

MOREINFO: The 11.8 billion yuan (1.7 billion U.S. dollars) cable-stayed structure, spanning Hangzhou Bay in Zhejiang Province south of Shanghai, will be open to traffic on a trial basis following the inauguration ceremony. The 36 km (22.4 miles) span will shorten travel time between Shanghai and Ningbo to two-and-a-half hours from four.

SCRIPT:

There are no cars yet but the world's longest cross-sea bridge is open.

The cable-styled structure spans Hangzhou Bay and is 36 kilometres long.

It will cut journey times between Shanghai and Ningbo from four to two and half hours.

The bridge is China's first major public project to attract private finance - almost a third of the 1.7 billion dollars needed to build the structure came from the private sector.

China continues to spend heavily on infrastructure.

Linking Ningbo - a major industrial city - with Shanghai - China's financial centre - should help maintain rapid economic growth.

The bridge took just five years to build and it's been opened to light vehicles on a trial basis only.

Lorries and vehicles carrying dangerous loads will have to wait.

But some motorists at least will now be able to enjoy the longest sea drive in history.

Sonia Legg, Reuters.

lor·ry

n. pl. lor·ries Chiefly British

A motor truck.