The Tamar Bridge was fully open to traffic yesterday – following more than two years of disruption.

The project to strengthen and widen the bridge has cost £34.6 million.

The work finally came to an end yesterday with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Princess Anne is expected to officially open the new look bridge in the spring – exactly 40 years after the Queen Mother opened the original structure.

This is the first time that a major bridge has been kept open to traffic during such a project.

However, despite efforts to keep traffic flowing, frustrated drivers have regularly suffered long queues at peak times.

As well as being strengthened, the bridge now has two new cantilever lanes – one is for cyclists and pedestrians. The first pedestrians to cross yesterday were retired policeman Bryan Hannaford and his grandchildren Guy (6) and Charlie (5), from Saltash.

The free bus service, which has operated across the bridge during the work, ended at noon yesterday.