Tarmac donation helps replace old bridge

Landfill Communities Fund grant supports opening of new footbridge at Thorpe Meadows  

WITH support from the Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund, Nene Park Trust has announced that a new bridge, which has replaced the old ‘Red Bridge’ at Thorpe Meadows, near Peterborough, is now open to the public.

Thanks to contributions from Peterborough City Council and Nene Park Trust, along with generous donations from the Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund and FCC Communities Foundation, Nene Park Trust has been able to proceed with the bridge replacement.

The new bridge – a 20m long, 1.2m wide steel and timber footbridge with a lifespan of 50–100 years – reopens a popular walking route to Nene Park and the Boardwalks Nature Reserve from the city centre. It also provides a foot/cycle entry point to Thorpe Meadows Gateway, allowing pedestrians/cyclists to avoid having to use a busy main road.

Greg Higby, park manager at Nene Park Trust, said: ‘The opening of the new footbridge is pivotal in reconnecting access between Peterborough city centre and Thorpe Meadows. The bridge will play a fantastic role in giving our local communities and visitors an extra incentive to walk to Thorpe Meadows and explore the wider Nene Park. Many thanks to our funders for helping to make this happen.’

Colin Ellis, operations manager for Tarmac, said: ‘Through a donation of £25,000 from the Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund, we’re proud to have been able to help the Nene Park Trust with this project. It’s great to see the new bridge open and improving accessibility to such a valuable walking route for local people and visitors.’

The Landfill Communities Fund was established by the Government in 1996. It allows landfill operators to donate part of their annual tax liability to enrolled environmental bodies for a variety of approved community and environmental projects. Through the fund, Tarmac donate around £1 million to projects each year.