Plans to replace Pontoon Bridge at Ferry Meadows submitted

Nene Park Trust is developing designs for a new bridge which it will progress with should money from the National Lottery Heritage Fund be granted in the next few weeks.

The new bridge forms part of a range of activities and improvements being developed as part of Nene Park Trust’s Your Community Greenspace project.

Other parts of the scheme include enhancing Lynch Lake Community Hub and improving the toilets and welcome area of Ferry Meadows.

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Plans to replace much loved pontoon bridge at Peterborough’s Ferry Meadows revealed

Pontoon Bridge is a central feature in Nene Park and has been in place since 1989, but over the past 10 years it has required increasing repairs.

The trust said in its planning application to Peterborough City Council: “The super-structure of wood is reaching the end of its serviceable life.

“The substructure, concrete central ballasts, are monitored regularly, however, the condition of them and how long they will continue to work is unknown.

“In addition to the condition of the bridge, it has also seen significant growth in use over the lifetime of the park and was designed at a time when the park was used in a different way for a smaller city.

“As the numbers and types of users have increased, the requirements of this bridge have been expanded and it is a bottleneck point for a range of users. In recent years, closures for maintenance are becoming more regular.”

A new design for the bridge has been produced by CB Arts which the trust said will “meet current and future demands of the park whilst trying to add to the aesthetics of the park”.

It added: “The design aims to reflect the natural environment around it, incorporating crafted sculptural tree features at either entrance. Overall the design is simple and high quality.

“The proposed bridge is to have a smoother and consistent incline and surface. The bridge is also wider to accommodate passing users, including pedestrians, cyclists and wheelchair and mobility scooter users, as well as lightweight park maintenance vehicles.”

For more information on the project, visit: www.nenepark.org.uk/your-community-greenspace-capital-works.