'Historic' river bridge to undergo repair work

Work to repair and renovate a "historic" pedestrian bridge in Leicester is set to start on Monday.

The Soar Lane river bridge provides a pedestrian and cycling link between the Waterside regeneration area and Rally Park.

Leicester City Council said the work was necessary as the condition of the bridge had deteriorated through "wear and tear".

It is expected to cost £400,000 and will take around three months to complete.

Pedestrians and cyclists will still be able to cross the bridge for the duration of the work, although the work barriers may require cyclists to dismount.

As part of the work, worn parapets will be replaced, the cobbled surface of the carriageway reconstructed, and decorative steelwork repainted.

Leicester City Council's director of highways, Martin Fletcher, said it would restore an "important part of our local transport heritage".

He added that it will "ensure this well-used bridge remains safe for many years to come".

The bridge was constructed in the late 1870s to serve the Soar Lane Flour Mills on the island between the River Soar and Grand Union Canal.

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