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Work is well under way on a new bridge which will cross the River Derwent as part of the £3.8m regeneration of Derby's Cathedral Green.
Pilings have been put down for the swing bridge between Cathedral Green and Stuart Street and concrete tracks have been poured so that it can move to one side, pivoted on the Cathedral Green bank, in times of high water levels.
The bridge is still being built by Briton Fabrications, in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, and is unlikely to be installed for several months.
A spokesman for the company said: "Work on constructing the bridge is going very well. We are still negotiating with the council on a date for completion but we are pleased with the progress" The scheme started in August last year and involves laying new paving, creating the bridge and an outdoor performance area and installing the "public artwork" element of the project - a series of lights in the bridge which will pick out the original watercourse.
The project was due to be completed in about nine months but has fallen behind and will not be finished until late summer. The delay was due to the discovery of electrical cables and a junction box on the site.
Chris Lee, city council project manager for the scheme, said landscaping work was going well but much now hinged on the bridge. He said: "We have thought carefully about how much of the landscaping to complete because the bridge will have to be brought on site with large machinery and we don't want to damage surfacing we have put down.
"The same is the case for the public artwork, the lighting won't be installed until the bridge is there."
The scheme was the brainchild of the council and urban regeneration company Derby Cityscape. Representatives of both will go to Hucknall next month to see how the bridge is progressing.
Sharon Stevens-Cash, communications manager with Derby Cityscape, said:"This will be a great public space for the people in Derby to enjoy and we are really excited about this project."
The public will be asked to suggest names for the bridge later this year. Article courtesy of Kirsty Green Derby Evening Telegraph |