What may be described as a Christmas present from Bideford Bridge Trust to the town is provided by the special effort made to enable people to see samples of the new lighting by electricity of the 600 year old bridge over the holiday weekend.

For many years the bridge has been lit by gas, but earlier this year the Trustees decided to change to electricity. Special standards and lamps were designed to fit in with the architectural requirements of the bridge and approval obtained from the Ministry of Transport (as the bridge connects the trunk road) and the Ancient Monuments Department of the Ministry of Works (as the bridge is scheduled as an ancient monument).
By Wednesday two of the new electric light standards, which are 14ft 6ins above the footpath, had been erected at the east end of the bridge, and one of them lit. It is expected that a second new light will be lit at the west end before Christmas, and others will follow soon. In the meantime the gas lamps will continue in use.
The new lights will first take over on the north (seaward) side of the bridge as cables for supplying them are already in position. The lighting of those on the south side will come second so that evacuations of the road will not inconvenience Christmas traffic.
Total cost of the scheme is in the region of £1,500.
Gazette article dated 22 December 1961