A BOLD bid to continue the renaissance of the city’s riverside could continue after council chiefs approved a £150,000 examination into a possible new footbridge.
If successful the congestion busting bridge would link Gheluvelt Park and the west of the river in the similar way the Diglis Bridge did when it opened in 2010.
The scheme saw Worcester City Council and Worcester County Council team up to build the striking bridge over the River Severn to make it easier for people to get around Worcester on foot and by bike.
Council chiefs unanimously approved the cash injection to fund a feasiblity study into the development during a Worcester City Council meeting on Tuesday (February 21).
The proposals were initially introduced as part of Conservative amendments to the Labour-run council’s budget.
Speaking at the meeting, former city council leader Coun Simon Geraghty proposed the cash injection, using money from the City Council’s City Plan fund.
“We all appreciate the contribution the Diglis footbridge has made to the Riverside, it’s now regarded as a jewel in the crown,” he said.
“For a number of years now proposals have been put forward to link areas in the north of the city to the other side of the river.
“Now is the time to turn good ideas into a good plan,” he added.
His proposal was enthusiastically backed by former Mayor Coun Andy Roberts, a regular user of the Diglis Bridge who hailed the development as a ‘massive success’.
“I would say stop prevaricating and just say yes,” he added.
Council leader Coun Adrian Gregson welcomed the idea of a new footbridge for the city but expressed concerns about how such a study could impact on the upcoming local transport plan.
“The strategy should work for the whole city. If this amendement is approved then we need to be clear about the terms of reference for this study so there is no confusion,” he added.
Green Party leader, Coun Louis Stephen, lent his support and said: “Congestion is one of the biggest issues facing our city.
“Walking and cycling in the city has to be encouraged and anything that reduces the amount of traffic across the city has to be a good thing,” he added.
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