Walking and cycling bridge budget set at £16m

The bridge is part of a plan to encourage people to travel in a healthier way.

A further budget boost has been approved for plans to connect two areas of Worcestershire by bridge after earlier estimates fell short amid reports of construction challenges.

The proposed structure linking Hampton to Evesham town centre is designed to make walking and cycling more attractive for journeys.

Worcestershire County Council's budget now stands at about £16m after a decision to add an additional sum of more than £4m to the pot - a move following previous cost revisions. The project was originally estimated at £4.26m when plans were approved in 2021.

County Highways chief Marc Bayliss said the bridge would play a "significant part" in helping to improve journeys locally, adding: “Evesham we all know suffers with significant congestion and needs us to look at all modes of transport to help improve its transport situation."

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

It stated: "There has been significant inflation in the construction sector over the past 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, labour and materials, notably steel."

The bridge would offer "safe transport options" to people in Evesham.

Councillor Emma Stokes said the bridge was a "win-win for the town" as it provided "a better route to school rather than risking the inevitable crossroads".

"We needed to offer a choice of safe transport options to our residents," she said.

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