Pedestrian and cycle bridge budget set at £16m

A new budget rise has been approved for plans to connect two areas of Worcestershire by a bridge after previous estimates fell short amid reports of construction challenges.

The proposed structure linking Hampton with Evesham town center is designed to make walking and cycling more attractive for travel.

Worcestershire County Council’s budget now stands at around £16m following the decision to add an additional sum of more than £4m to the fund, a move that follows previous cost reviews. The project was originally estimated at £4.26 million when plans were approved in 2021.

County Highways Chief Marc Bayliss said the bridge would play an “important role” in helping to improve travel locally, adding: “Evesham, as we all know, suffers from significant congestion and needs us to look at all the modes of transport to help improve their transport situation. “

The latest revisions to previous estimates. had been made as a result of several problems, according to a council report.

He stated: “There has been significant inflation in the construction sector over the last three years due to a number of factors, including Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine.

“This has resulted in an increase in the cost of fuel, labor and materials, especially steel.”

Councilor Emma Stokes said the bridge was “beneficial for the town” as it provided “a better route to the school rather than risking the inevitable road crossing”.

“We needed to offer a variety of safe transportation options to our residents,” he said.

“This bridge can be used safely by cyclists, wheelchair users, baby strollers at any time of the year and even in wet conditions.”