Maintenance work on a historic bridge in Leicester’s Waterside area is set to begin today (Monday, January 19).
The bridge provides an important pedestrian and cycle link between the Waterside regeneration area, Rally Park and nearby schools, and is recognised as a local heritage asset.
Picture credit: Leicester City Council
The programme of work will include replacing sections of the bridge’s worn parapets, installing a new waterproofing system on the bridge deck and reconstructing the cobbled surface of the carriageway. Footpaths will also be resurfaced, and the bridge’s decorative steelwork repainted.
The works are expected to take around three months to complete. Pedestrian and cycle access will be maintained throughout the project, and as the bridge is not used by general traffic, there will be no impact on motorists.
Martin Fletcher, director of highways at Leicester City Council, which is carrying out the repairs, said: “Wear and tear mean the condition of this historic bridge is such that repair work is now required, and the bridge will need to close for a few weeks while that is carried out.
“This essential work will restore an important part of our local transport heritage and ensure this well-used bridge remains safe for many years to come.”
The project is expected to cost around £400,000 and will be funded through the Government’s Local Transport Fund.
The Soar Lane river bridge was constructed in the late 1870s and originally served the Soar Lane Flour Mills, which were located on an island between the parallel watercourses of the River Soar and the Grand Union Canal.
