Farewell to famous ‘curly whurly’ bridge near Hinckley as demolition begins
WORKS have started on demolishing and replacing a famous bridge over the A5 a few miles from Hinckley.
The ‘curly whurly’ footbridge, in Atherstone, is set to be replaced with an improved structure.
Highways England is replacing the bridge, popular with school children, cyclists and pedestrians, with a new steel one that it says will last for years to come.
It is also known as the ‘poppy bridge’ because poppies are tied to it as part of Remembrance Day events each year.
The new bridge will be built close to the existing one, which serves the nearby Queen Elizabeth Academy, to ensure there is a crossing point and minimise the disruption for pedestrians and the local community.
Highways England Project
Manager, Dave Lynch, explained: “It’s important pedestrians and cyclists are able to cross our roads safely.
“We are replacing the existing bridge with a new one that is more accessible, meets the current standards and will reduce the need for extensive maintenance to be carried out on the bridge for many years.”
Initial works are set to start this weekend.
To make sure the road workers are safe, the A5 will be closed in both eastbound and westbound directions on the following dates:
7am on Saturday, February 27 to 7pm on Sunday, February 28
8pm on Saturday, March 13 to 6am on Monday, March 15
Outside of these times there will be a lane closure and a 50mph speed limit.
The main works are set to start in July and will include building the foundations and supports for the new bridge and installation of the structure. Highways England say the existing bridge will be demolished a later date. Most of this works in the summer are set to be carried out using the contraflow and lane closures and without the need for further full road closures.
We are replacing the existing bridge with a new one that is more accessible, meets the current standards and will reduce the need for extensive maintenance
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A BiD to extend the woodlands of the National Forest further south has seen council bosses in the Hinckley area call on the government for support.
Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council previously resolved to work towards extending the regreening project into more areas to the north of Hinckley, down to the A47, to join with Charnwood Forest to the east, as well as west to the A5 at the edge of leicestershire.
The authority committed to drawing up plans with the National Forest and Woodland Trust to identify sites.
Now councillor David Bill, deputy leader and executive member for planning, has written to Defra (Department for environment, Food and Rural Affairs) minister Rebecca Pow to ask for her support and welcoming more discussion about how the initiative could be brought about.
Cllr Bill said: “everyone’s attention is quite rightly fixed on fighting the pandemic but we also need to give some thought to the future of our area once we return to more normal times.
“As one of the original promoters of the move which brought about the National Forest, i have long hoped it could be extended further into our area.
“i think the letter is justified on a number of grounds – the need to improve tree cover, the need to protect the countryside and, of course, the challenge of climate change which increasingly is still with us.”
Despite popular green spaces like Burbage Common and Market Bosworth Country Park, tree cover across the largely rural borough is six per cent.
The council is reviewing its local plan, which will provide a development strategy for the period to 2039.
Coun Bill said in the letter: “in implementing its local plan policies relating to the National Forest, the borough council, in consultation with the National Forest Company, has been successful in securing the delivery of landscape proposals, habitat creation and recreational facilities within development proposals which reflect the context of the National Forest.
“Alternatively, the council is able to request developer contributions towards off-site woodland planting within the National Forest.
“The emerging local plan therefore provides an ideal opportunity to review and designate an extension of the National Forest boundary and update the respective land use policies to deliver further woodland planting.”
The council has committed to identifying grants and funding sources to pay for land and resources needed to increase tree coverage, plus cover costs of planting and the legal framework.
officers are also working to find landowners willing to participate in the planting and other schemes.