Petition against new bridge handed to council

Marchers gathered outside County Hall in Oxford to hand in their petition

Campaigners against a new £10m bridge have marched to the headquarters of the county authority to hand in a petition.

Oxford City Council gave the go-ahead for the Oxpens River Bridge linking Oxpens Meadow to Grandpont Nature Park in May.

Friends of Grandpont Nature Park, who are seeking a judicial review, say it will destroy part of the park, and that another nearby bridge could be upgraded instead.

Oxfordshire County Council, which is yet to approve the bridge, thanked campaigners for their efforts and said it was looking into the matter.

The campaigners marched from Grandpont Nature Park to County Hall on Tuesday.

They demanded the authority "pull out of the wasteful and destructive" plans that would "involve the destruction of the only woodland on the main path through the nature park, which is used by an estimated 1,000 people per day".

Campaigners suggest the existing Gasworks Bridge could be upgraded instead of building a new one

Oxford City Council says the new bridge over the River Thames is required due to redevelopments in the area, and the existing one will not be capable of serving its needs.

The area is currently being regenerated with a revamped railway station, new homes at the Oxpens site, and Oxford University plans for an innovation quarter at Osney Mead.

But Friends of Grandpont Nature Park member Dan Glazebrook said: "This is our land, this is public green land, and the research is very clear on the fundamental importance for mental health of access to green space.

"For many of the elderly residents here, this is the closest thing to countryside a lot of people can reach."

Campaigners believe the tranquillity of the area will be ruined by the new bridge

He said the "whole rural, tranquil character" of the park would be "completely destroyed" and it would not "feel like countryside anymore, and that will be just such a devastating loss to the community".

The petition reached 1,500 signatures on Tuesday, campaigners said.

In response Oxfordshire County Council said: "We thank the campaigners for making the effort to present us with this petition which will be passed on to the team dealing with this matter."