New pedestrian bridge replaces former 'Chivvy' roundabout
The 48-metre walking, cycling and horse-riding bridge was lifted over the A30 last night
A colourful new pedestrian bridge has been lifted into place at the former Chiverton Cross roundabout.
The 48-metre walking, cycling and horse-riding (WCH) bridge was installed at around 11pm on Tuesday 5 December.
Costain, the lead contractor on the A30 dualling scheme, worked on the installment, which will be part of the larger Saints Trails project and is decorated with the colours and theme of the Cornwall Mining World Heritage site.
The Saints Trails – St Agnes to Truro project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and will provide 13km of off-road and on-road trails linking the two communities. The structure – a “single span half-through steel truss bridge” – will provide step-free access via ramps.
"Improves local access"
Andy Clarke, Costain’s integrated transport director, said: "Any bridge lift is challenging, we’ve got an excellent team here and it went smoothly. It’s a great signature bridge for Cornwall. Crucially, the new bridge addresses previous safety concerns and improves local access to the Royal Cornwall Hospital."
The 96-tonne bridge was built by Kent-based company Nusteel and transported to the site in sections for assembly, and was lifted into place by a 650-tonne crane while the road was quiet.
Dulcie Tudor, Cornwall Councillor for Threemilestone and Chacewater, added: "It was so cool to be invited on site to watch the new Chivvy pedestrian bridge being lifted into place. We’ve got the ‘nearly home’ trees in Devon. Now we’ve got the ‘blue bridge’ entrance into West Cornwall."
Richard Williams-Pears, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for transport, said: "This bridge aims to support residents to make more sustainable journeys between the communities either side of Chiverton, and for those wanting to travel further afield.
"Work on the remaining sections of the St Agnes to Truro Saints Trail are progressing well and I hope the completion of the trail, together with the construction of the Northern Access Road, will encourage more people to make greener and healthier choices about how they travel."