New pedestrian and cycle bridge over important A5 stretch 'nearly complete'

Shropshire Council said the new 55-metre-long pedestrian and cyclist bridge over the A5 at Mile End in Oswestry requires just the 'final site activities to be completed'.

The bridge was installed by one of the largest cranes in the country in November last year, and links Oswestry town centre with Oswestry Innovation Park.

The project forms the second part of three individual projects which are running to enable and support housing and employment growth in the area.

Building of the new bridge was required and part of planning conditions for the new innovation park. Shropshire Council has worked alongside WSP who designed the bridge, National Highways and Shropshire-based Beaver Bridges to complete construction.

Before the bridge can open, work will be completed to prepare the innovation park for development. Three service roads must be built as well as the installation of utilities across the site and all the associated infrastructure.

The council says this work started on Monday and is being carried out by McPhillips (Wellington) Ltd.

A Shropshire Council statement said: "Due to the nature of these works, and in the interest of safety, the bridge will remain closed until these are finished.

"Once open, the bridge will provide safe and inclusive accessibility across the busy A5 to the new Oswestry Innovation Park, and beyond, on the east of the Mile End junction."

Construction of the Innovation Park service roads and infrastructure is due to take 12 months to complete.