Darley Abbey bridge: Council approves purchase of temporary footbridge

A temporary footbridge built to replace a crossing that was closed due to fears of collapse could remain in place for five years.

Darley Abbey toll bridge in Derby was shut in May last year after inspectors found "serious public safety concerns".

Derby City Council has approved plans to buy the temporary bridge so the route can be used while a permanent solution is found.

It said it was working to see how the future project could be funded.

Councillors were forced to use emergency powers to close access to the bridge to all users last year after concerns were raised about its condition.

A prefabricated footbridge, named Walter's Walkway, was installed in September 2022 to support the community and businesses.

A council report states that "uncertainties" around ownership, as well as a lack of available funding for a long-term solution, now mean the prefabricated bridge will potentially need to be in place for another five years, or until a long-term solution can be delivered.

At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the Labour-run authority elected to buy the bridge for £266,000 instead of continuing to hire it.

The report said the total cost of the purchase would save the authority £68,000, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Councillor Alison Martin also reassured people that work was well under way to find a long-term replacement for the bridge.

She said: "I will stress to everybody that every effort is being made to find funds for the permanent replacement bridge.

"The council alone cannot make that funding commitment because it is going to cost millions of pounds - so we continue to engage with the government and bodies to see where that money comes from."

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