AMBITIOUS proposals for a new £4million foot and cycle bridge across the River Severn to breathe new life into Worcester’s Cultural Quarter have been revealed.
Leading city figures as well as local businesses and groups are among those to have already pledged support for the ‘Chapter Meadows Bridge’ which would provide a link between the heart of the city and St John’s.
Fund-raising has already begun for the project which is bidding to win further financial support through the Government’s #MyTown scheme to transform towns and cities across the UK.
The proposed bridge aims to regenerate Worcester and connect the city’s communities by providing a second river crossing into St John’s alongside the existing Worcester Bridge.
The single span structure will lead onto an additional causeway above the highest flood level to allow access from Severn Street, next to Worcester’s leading heritage sites, to Bromwich Road if the river bursts its banks.
Designed for walkers, cyclists and the disabled, the bridge will bring locals and tourists straight into the city’s Cultural Quarter – home of Worcester Cathedral, the Museum of Royal Worcester, Henry Sandon Hall, The Commandery and Vue Cinema – and the wider city centre. Access will also be provided to the Riverside Walk as part of the scheme
The crossing will also feature a central viewing platform offering a unique view of the city and its river. Local schoolchildren will be able to cross the river safely to avoid main roads and more visitors will be attracted to Chapter Meadows, an area of natural beauty in the heart of a busy urban environment.
Former Mayor of Worcester Coun Jabba Riaz was among those to lend his support to the project.
“I believe Worcester residents will share my enthusiasm for this exciting project which will greatly improve their quality of life. It will also showcase our beautiful riverside and cultural heritage,” he said.
Should the project win financial support, planning permission would then be sought for what would be the city’s second new bridge. County and city council chiefs have already made substantial progress towards the proposed new Kepax Bridge to the north of the city centre.
A planning application for the Kepax Bridge will be submitted later this year for the proposed new bridge from Gheluvelt Park to the east of the river to the Kepax site in St John’s. Work on the revamp of Sabrina Bridge has also begun.
Visit https://mytown.communities.gov.uk/town/worcester for more.
