Dukes Meadows Footbridge Main Span Installed |
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30 metre structure in place after its trip up the River Thames
The completion of the Dukes Meadows Footbridge is a step closer after the installation of the main 30 metre span this Monday afternoon (25 July). The structure, known as Span 2, was late arriving due to a hold up in Tilbury Docks, but eventually made its way up the Thames on a large pontoon. Former Hounslow Council leader Steve Curran and Cllr John Todd, who had worked together to bring the project to realisation, attended the event along with other representatives from Hounslow Council and the builders of the bridge Knights Brown. The next phase of the construction with be the installation of Span 1 which is the section of the walkway on the east side of Barnes Bridge towards the Emanuel School Boat House. This is due to be put in place next month and will be delivered by road. Spans 3 and 4, which are on the other site of the bridge near Chiswick Boathouse will then be put in place in September, once again being delivered by road. Once these sections have been added, extra services need to be fitted to the structure before it can be opened for public use.
When complete the Dukes Meadows Footbridge project will provide walkers with an uninterrupted journey along this section of the Thames Path.
Leader of Hounslow Council, Councillor Shantanu Rajawat said, “This imaginative project opens up one of our borough’s premier open spaces to be enjoyed by even more visitors. This major construction milestone is testament to years of close partnership working between Hounslow Council, our construction partner and the local community - under the leadership of my predecessor Steve Curran. We believe it will attract many more visitors to this amazing green space and will provide residents with a new walking and cycling route. “As a green part of London, we take pride in all of our borough’s many open spaces, and we are providing our residents and visitors with more opportunities to connect with the natural habitats they can find on their own doorsteps. “We would like to thank the local community for their continued cooperation and the cross-party support this project has received, particularly from local ward member Councillor John Todd. “We are now looking forward to the opening of the new bridge and all the benefits it will bring.”
July 27, 2022
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