Darley Abbey: Council lobbies government for new bridge funds

Derby City Council has urged ministers to provide funding to help secure a new bridge over the River Derwent.

The Darley Abbey Toll Bridge - known as Walter's Walkway - closed in May 2022 due to safety concerns.

The council installed a temporary bridge above the original structure in October 2022.

But council leader Baggy Shanker said the authority was "limited" in what it could do "without further financial help" from elsewhere.

The original bridge at Darley Abbey Mills is not owned by Derby City Council and the authority said its ownership was a "complex issue".

But Mr Shanker and councillor Carmel Swan, cabinet member for transport, have written a letter to Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harper, and Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lucy Frazer, requesting "urgent funding" to start work on a project to replace it.

If granted, the funding would enable a feasibility study, detailed design work and costings for a new bridge to replace the unsafe one.

Derby City Council installed the temporary bridge to maintain access for pedestrians and cyclists.

Speaking to BBC Radio Derby, Ms Swan said any future work might include the removal of both the original bridge and the temporary one.

"This funding that we are asking for is to carry out a feasibility study that will enable us to find out exactly how much a new bridge would cost," she said.

"There is grave concerns that we could have a temporary bridge for three, four, five, six years, I don't know.

"We have one of the most wonderful assets in Darley Abbey with it part of a world heritage site so I think it is really important.

"Legally, we do not own this bridge but morally, we feel this bridge is important to Derby."

The Department for Transport has been contacted for comment.

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