Want a cheaper bridge

PROTESTERS against Bradford on Avon Town Council's £850,000 foot and cycle bridge across the Avon want less council money spending.

But no new design has been forthcoming of a bridge over the river at Bradford on Avon, though the action group,Bradford Bridge Concern were invited to attend the town's footbridge committee meeting on Friday to discuss a cheaper alternative.

Public consultations took place in June and July culminating in a town council meeting where councillors voted to submit a planning application for the metal suspension bridge.

Bradford Bridge Concern member Chris Steel explained:

"It seems to me that what they were really saying was that we have to have a suspension bridge that a lot of people don't like and is very expensive, rather than a cheaper bridge where we can build in some extra funding for maintenance, which would still be cheaper than the main footbridge."

However, the committee deemed that the alternative design that was submitted, would be unsuitable and too costly in terms of the long-term maintenance required.

A full planning application for a bridge is expected to be submitted by the end of September.