Calls for action to tackle 'state' of Town Bridge in Peterborough to provide a 'clean and welcoming city centre'

Prominent anti-litter campaigner Mark Fishpool has described the walk from Pleasure Fair Meadow car park down London Road as a ‘complete mess.’

Calls have been made due to cracks on paintwork, brickwork coming away from the bridge as well as graffiti.

Mark has called on the council to take more action to improve the look of one of the main routes into and from the city centre.

He said: “To have a clean city you certainly have to carry out far more than collect litter that is laying around on the streets. A city does not have to be historically interesting, be in a superb location or have the best high st around to be appealing.

“If a city looks clean, well cared for and that little bit different from the rest to stand out, then you are on a winner. Walking from the Fair Meadow car park or driving along London Road our Town Bridge looks a complete mess.

“We need to kickstart some action to enhance our Town Bridge and make it an attractive structure in our city.”

Mark’s campaign has won the support of the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Paul Bristow.

In a letter to the council, Mr Bristow said: “I recently met with Mark Fishpool to discuss Town Bridge- one of the main gateways to our city centre. Unfortunately, the bridge has become quite run down, giving a poor impression to visitors arriving and leaving Peterborough.

"A clean and welcoming city centre is about more than just litter. Overgrown shrubs, graffiti, peeling render and patchy paintwork all contribute to an uninviting environment. I would encourage council leaders to visit the bridge to see how deteriorated it is for themselves.

"I understand that previous maintenance has often relied on community service, which can be valuable when part of a coordinated plan, however, the bridge now bears the signs of short-term fixes- layers of mismatched paint covering graffiti rather than a proper revitalisation.

At the Combined Authority, we are progressing plans for a Local Visitor Economy Partnership, which will bring together partners focused on destination management. This will help set standards and drive improvements across our region. I would welcome Peterborough City Council’s active involvement in shaping this work.

It is time for the council and local partners to develop a joint plan to make the city centre- and Town Bridge in particular- attractive once again. As a key gateway to Peterborough, it should be warm, vibrant and welcoming. This is our opportunity to make a lasting impression.”

In response, the city council has promised to take on an inspection of the bridge.

Cllr Angus Ellis, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We are fully committed to ensuring that the town centre is a clean and welcoming place and our officers recently met with Mr Fishpool to discuss his concerns regarding the condition of Town Bridge.

“As a result of this, we will have the render on the bridge inspected to determine how to improve the aesthetics of the structure. We will also arrange for quotes around the potential jet washing of the concrete sections.”