Anger at broken promise of new £1.1m quay bridge

Heather Baker from Saddles and Paddles says the missing bridge is a key part of the jigsaw for riverside routes

The promise of a new £1.1m bridge for the quayside in Exeter has evaporated.

One business owner had said the bridge was vital to connect riverside walkways and cycle paths in the city and around its historic quayside.

Devon County Council had said it would construct a new bridge with a £1.1m grant from Active Travel England to replace the Mallinson Bridge that was dismantled in 2020.

But now the council says estimated costs have increased by £700,000 and it will be spending the grant funding elsewhere in Devon.

The Mallison bridge on Exeter quay was dismantled in 2020

Heather Baker, owner of bike and boat hire business Saddles and Paddles, said she was "really disappointed" by the decision.

She said: "My frustration with the missing bridge is that it connects the rest of the city to existing routes.

"While I appreciate that costs have gone up and it's going to cost a fair bit to replace the bridge, it's so essential for getting around the city."

Mallison Bridge was closed in 2018 and removed in 2020 after it was found to be structurally weak.

The replacement route involves going onto Commercial Road and along a small alleyway to rejoin the riverside path.

Ms Baker said the cycling pathway along the River Exe leading up to the section around the quay was the busiest cycling route in Devon.

She said the bridge was "the missing piece of a jigsaw" that could greatly improve travel options in the area around the quay and for the city.

The replacement bridge would have connected the quayside paths in Exeter

Rose Lelliott, who is standing as Labour candidate in next year's Exeter City Council elections, said the £1.1m was "promised on the basis it was going to be used for active travel on the quay" and it was unfair the money would now be spent elsewhere.

She said: "If they had got a move-on with it, we could have had a bridge by now - they've delayed it and caused the costs to increase."

The 1,300-home Water Lane development on the other side of the quay was signed off in January.

Diana Moore, Green Party leader on Exeter City Council, said there was a "huge amount of development taking place in the area".

She said: "Everyone gets funnelled down Cricklepit Bridge and down a scraggy little alley and it doesn't work."

She said there had been "two planning applications and a lot of money spent on project development and we're still not left with a bridge".

Devon County Council announced its success in securing the £1.1m funding in March 2024 in a bid supported by Exeter City Council.

In a statement, Devon County Council said "engineering challenges", including a gas main diversion and high foundation costs, had all contributed to estimates increasing by £700,000.

It said: "Alternative designs were explored but none met affordability or acceptable active travel design standards, and, because we may be at risk of losing the funding if the funding isn't spent by March 2027, the grant will now be redirected to another active travel scheme."