Repair work to start on Cuckoo's Hollow closed bridges

Work to repair bridges at a nature reserve, that have been shut for the last 10 months, will begin this year.

Peterborough City Council (PCC) closed three footbridges, within Cuckoo's Hollow in Werrington, over public safety concerns and said they were "at risk of collapse".

Members of the public previously expressed disappointment over the lack of consultation about the decision and the impact it would have on accessibility.

This week, a spokesperson for PCC said restoration works, costing about £1.2m, had been agreed and the bridges were expected to reopen by April 2025.

Bridges at the reserve are inspected every two years and in January, the council said signs of degradation were found.

The review noted that three bridges, adjacent to Baron Court, Lakeside and Welbourne, had deteriorated much more quickly than anticipated and posed a risk to public safety.

While these structures were closed, the crossing near Camelia Close remained open to the public.

PCC said as part of ecological surveys, evidence of water voles was also found.

"Works to disperse them [voles] has recently been completed prior to hibernation season so as not to delay the main construction works," a spokesperson for the authority said.

"Mobilisation of the site is scheduled to commence on November 25 with the establishment of the site compounds and access arrangements with construction programme to start in December.

"We are anticipating that the workers will be on site until mid-May 2025."

They added that footpaths "approaching the bridges" will be closed during this time to "facilitate the removal and installation of the structures".

"The bridges should be re-opened April 2025, this would be dependent on the progress of the construction works due to the weather," they said.