Designs for new pedestrian Bridge over River Nene in Peterborough to come in 2023

Detailed designs for a new pedestrian footbridge to link the Embankment and Fletton Quays will be put forward in 2023 as the project took a step forward on Monday (December 19).

This is when the city council’s cabinet awarded a contract to draw up the full business case and detailed design for the scheme to the council’s highways contractor, Milestone Infrastructure Limited.

A public consultation will feed into the business case and a detailed design will take place early next year.

The bridge is expected to cost around £5m. Of that figure, £2m has been secured from the government’s Towns Fund and the remainder will be funded by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and the city council’s redevelopment budget. This budget includes contributions from developers.

The pedestrian bridge will offer pedestrians and cyclists an alternative route across the river, away from the busy main road and will create a link from the south of the city to the new university complex.

It is hoped it will play an important part in making walking/cycling the default option for getting around the city centre in future years by reducing commutable distances. This would boost public health and air quality by reducing city centre traffic.

Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald, leader of Peterborough City Council, said: “Our river frontage has been crying out for a pedestrian bridge in this area for many years. It will allow us to make more of our city centre waterway and at the same time, reduce commuter distances on foot and cycle, encouraging more people to ditch their vehicles.

“This Towns Fund money is a welcome boost to our city and the pedestrian bridge is just one of eight projects which are being supported by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.”

Matthew Bradbury, independent chair of the Peterborough Towns Fund Board, added: “This project is making good progress and will change the landscape of our city, making it easier and quicker to get around by bike or foot. It’s something the city has long been campaigning for and we are pleased that thanks to Towns Fund funding, it is one step closer to becoming a reality.”