BOATS could be crammed dangerously close together in a holding area only a few hundred metres long if Poole's dream of a second lifting bridge goes ahead.

That is the fear of maritime users who believe the proposed multi-million-pound second crossing over the back water channel is flawed.

It is envisaged boats moving between Poole Harbour and Holes Bay will pass under one of the lifting bridges and then have to wait as the bridge is lowered behind them before the second bridge is opened. While the boats wait they will be confined to a space of around 350m between the bridges.

Local sailors fear compressing a mixture of pleasure and commercial boats into such a small space might lead to collisions.

Aerial photographs of queues of boats stretching out more than 700m to pass the current lifting bridge were shown at the Poole Local Plan inquiry to highlight the potential for conflict.

Mike Ward, of Marina Develop-ments, warned that there would be the added difficulty of coping with tides and winds.

He said some sailors could be effectively "locked out" of Holes Bay if they felt it was too dangerous to manoeuvre into an over-crowded space between the bridges.

His concern was shared by John Avery, of Cobbs Quay Berthholder Association, who said the removal of the moorings in the narrow channel would help but added that: "The effect of the wake between two vessels and the bridge structures could cause awkward situations."

Mr Ward also said it would be necessary for both bridges to occasionally be lifted simultaneously to allow large commercial vessels a "free run" through the channel.

Provision will be made to cater for exceptionally large commercial vessels, according to Poole council's transport manager Chris Francombe.

The council is working on a model to see how the flow of maritime traffic will be managed between the bridges.

It is envisaged the bridges will lift six times on a typical day - more frequently than the present bridge.

Mr Francombe said the council proposes setting up a management board able to timetable bridge lifts with more flexibility rather than have to work around a strict parliamentary process which governs the present bridge.

It is hoped the second bridge will be open by the end of 2006.