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A new pedestrian and cycle footbridge spanning the Basingstoke Canal, Chobham Road Bridge, is now open and provides an uninterrupted towpath across the canal for users.
The new bridge unites the two sides of the canal towpath without the need for pedestrians and cyclists to cross the busy road. Following a recent inspection the bridge has achieved ‘practical completion’ and is now open for users. There will be works still to complete now that the bridge has opened but these will be primarily cosmetic.
The build had progressed ahead of schedule until March 2020 when the site was temporarily closed following the start of the Covid-19 outbreak.
Build works recommenced mid-May in accordance with social distancing guidelines, which impacted on the programme – partly due to the availability of suppliers and partly due to limitations on the number of workers who could be on the site at any one time – and the knock-on effect of having to run tasks sequential rather than concurrently.
The bridge design follows the characteristics of the surrounding area, featuring gabion walls, a non-slip surface, steel handrails with built-in bat friendly lighting and associated landscaping.
Cllr Ayesha Azad, Portfolio Holder for Asset Management, said: “The new bridge improves connectivity and provides a convenient way of crossing from the north to the south-side towpath making the canal a convenient way of commuting to, from and through Woking Town Centre. I hope this will encourage more people to use the towpath as a way to get into Woking.”
The project began in November 2019, commencing with a fish rescue and dewatering of the canal between Skew Bridge (highway bridge spanning canal at Lockfield Drive) and Monument Road Bridge.
The works were part of the wider town centre improvement project which is part funded by Enterprise M3.
For more information, please visit www.woking.gov.uk/footbridge