County councillors have given their support to a new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the River Trent at West Bridgford but they won't be paying for it now or in the future.
The £9.27 million bridge is being funded by Nottingham City Council’s bid to the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund and, if approved in the future by the relevant planning authorities, will link Trent Basin to Trent Fields, Lady Bay.
But Nottinghamshire County Council has made it clear that it will not be paying anything towards the bridge in a report which went to the authority's transport and environment committee.
It said: "The county council considers improvements to the existing Lady Bay Bridge would have been a better value for money option, as it was identified as the preferred scheme option in the initial feasibility study.
As the scheme promoter, the city council has determined that it wishes to construct a new bridge.
"Given the above, it is considered that neither the construction costs of the overall project nor its ongoing future maintenance liability costs should fall to the county council.
"It is therefore proposed that the county council does not enter into any agreement to lead on and/or fund/part fund either the construction, future improvements to, or any future maintenance liabilities for the proposed new bridge."
Councillor Penny Gowland (West Bridgford North), said she thought it was a shame that the bridge was not being built as part of a partnership and the county council was not helping to fund the bridge.
There was very little further discussion on the subject in the meeting and the recommendations to support the project and not enter into an agreement were passed.
Committee chairman Councillor Neil Clarke said: "The county council was not able to bid for funding from the Government’s Transforming Cities Fund, but we believe that this project, being overseen by Nottingham City Council, will benefit Nottinghamshire residents by enhancing the existing walking and leisure cycling network.
"The bridge will help promote cycling and walking, and we recognise that a number of improvements to existing highways networks are needed to ensure that pedestrians and cyclists can safely access the new bridge.
"We will continue to work closely with Nottingham City Council to ensure that these improvements are secured as planning conditions when the application is submitted."
Last week, Nottinghamshire Live reported that a screening request, which precedes a full application, has been put in for the bridge which will connect Lady Bay to the vast £100m Trent Basin waterside housing estate near Colwick.
If the plans pass this initial Environment Impact Assessment, two identical planning applications will soon be submitted to Nottingham City Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council, to obtain consent for the bridge, connecting ramps and associated landscaping.
The Waterside Bridge, as it has been named, would be the first bridge to be built over the Trent in Nottingham for more than 60 years, and Nottingham City Council has said that it would "open up new, safer commuter and leisure routes, offering a huge boost to cyclists, pedestrians and runners alike".
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If all goes to plan, the bridge is planned to open in 2023.
