Popular riverside footpath and bridge restored
Major improvements have been made to a popular 450-metre stretch of the River Ver trail in St Albans.
The footpath, between Holywell Hill and Cottonmill Lane, has been restored and the pedestrian bridge that crosses the river has been replaced.
Both the path and bridge are now accessible to people with buggies as well as other users.
St Albans City and District Council, the leaseholder for the land involved, gained £164,000 from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund to finance the work.
The Council appointed Hertfordshire County Council’s Countryside Management Service to manage the project.
The path was uneven, eroded in parts and often became muddy while the bridge was narrow and difficult to access.
Now, the path has been widened, flattened and re-laid with porous crushed stone which has a natural appearance and should remain dry in all weathers.
The new bridge has also been widened and ramps built at either end to replace the high stone steps and improve access.
The path was closed in mid-September to allow the work to take place and has now reopened.
Councillor Helen Campbell, Chair of the District Council’s Public Realm Committee, inspected the improvements and said:
This is a beautiful spot on the edge of the City Centre, treasured by nearby residents as well as dog walkers and people just out for a stroll.
I am particularly impressed by the new bridge as the old one, built several decades ago, was quite a squeeze and some people found it difficult to step on to it. Those problems have now been sorted.
I’m sure regular users will be as thrilled as I am with these improvements. They come in addition to enhancements we made last year to the path further downstream near the Sopwell Mill open space.
It is a demonstration of our cast iron commitment to maintain amenities across the District to a very high standard despite the pressure on our budget.
She added:
Special thanks go to the residents of Latium Close who have helped with the project in several ways. This includes allowing our contractor to use some of their parking bays for storage and access.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK by investing in communities and place, supporting local business, people and skills.
Photos: top Cllr Helen Campbell inspects the new bridge and footpath on the River Ver Trail; below, Cllr Campbell on the bridge; Cllr Campbell with people involved in the project including Andrew Sherriff, 2nd from left, of contractors Clearway Gritting, and Adolfo Gonzalez, 3rd from left, of Countryside Management Service; aerial view of the new bridge.
Above photo by Clearway Gritting Ltd.
Contact for the media: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727-819533; john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.
