A pedestrian footbridge over the River Nene in Peterborough will cost £2 million more than originally planned. Cygnet Bridge, which will link the Fletton Quays development to the Embankment, had an initial cost of £6.3 million.
The government’s Towns Fund pledged £2 million towards the bridge, while the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) contributed £3.4 million and the remainder paid for by Peterborough City Council’s redevelopment budget. However, the city council has now asked the CPCA to provide additional funding of £2 million so that construction can start this year, taking the total cost to £8.3 million.
The request for additional funding will first be heard at the meeting of CPCA’s investment committee on Monday, January 13. The committee will be asked to recommend the funding request for approval at the Combined Authority Board in March.
Construction of Cygnet Bridge was initially due to be completed by summer 2025, but this has now been pushed back to spring/summer 2026. Reasons for the additional £2 million finding include complex design modifications and ‘significantly higher’ costs for required sewer diversions than initially projected.
Peterborough City Council hopes the bridge will assist in creating a ‘walkable, liveable city’ and reduce pressure on city centre traffic routes.
Councillor Nick Thulbourn, cabinet member for growth and regeneration, said: “If the additional funding request is approved, it will be a critical step towards realising our future vision for Fletton Quays.”
He added that the bridge will serve as a “cornerstone of the area’s development”. Plans for the bridge were approved by the city council on December 23.