Bridge to be removed to make way for replacement

Work to dismantle an ageing footbridge over the Erewash Canal in Long Eaton will begin on Monday.

Engineers will begin bringing down the metal Broad Street footbridge, which Erewash Borough Council said was more than a century old and so low that towpath users "risked banging their heads".

The crossing was closed in November ahead of the works, and the towpath has now also been shut ahead of the bridge being dismantled.

A new footbridge - previously described as a "dramatic curved structure" - will then be built in its place. The project is due to be completed in August.

The new bridge will feature a suspension arch and a balustrade referencing Long Eaton's lace-making industry with a wedding pattern motif.

As well as the bridge, the project also includes a waterside terrace giving access to the canal and creating a public events space.

A second bridge is being installed over the Erewash Canal in the town, near to housing being built at Britannia Mills.

A report to the Long Eaton Town Deal Board said it was due to be craned into place on 13 March.

Board chairman Richard Ledger said: "These are truly exciting times for Long Eaton as a host of Town Deal projects start coming to fruition."

Long Eaton's £25m Town Deal, announced in 2021, will see a number of regeneration projects funded by the government.

New lighting has been installed in West Park and a former stables next to Long Eaton Town Hall has been converted into a business centre.

Other elements include the redevelopment of the former Galaxy Cinema and the remodelling of the town's high street.

Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.