Stepnell has completed a £4.2m pedestrian and cycle bridge in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, connecting the town centre with West Park as part of a wider regeneration programme backed by the £25m Long Eaton Town Deal.
Designed by Gagarin Studio, the new bridge crosses the Erewash Canal and replaces a narrow footbridge with a more accessible shared route for walkers and cyclists. Its architectural treatment draws on Long Eaton’s historic lace-making industry, with vertical galvanised steel fins arranged in a pattern inspired by the wedding lace once produced at Harrington Mills, within the Long Eaton Lace Factories Conservation Area.
Stepnell managed the civil engineering, substructure and foundation works, heavy lifting operations and public realm landscaping. The project required the installation of 124 tonnes of curved steel over the canal, alongside measures to maintain access to the towpath and protect the surrounding environment.
Tom Sewell, director at Stepnell, said: “The bridge connecting Long Eaton town centre with West Park needed upgrading into a functional piece of high-quality engineering to support the town centre’s long-term growth plans. We engaged extensively with local community stakeholders, the design team and our local supply chain to ensure the finished bridge adequately reflects Long Eaton’s needs as well as celebrating its heritage.
“The environment made the project quite complex, with 124 tonnes of curved steel over a flowing canal, operating next to a high footfall towpath and coordinating the project during a period that included severe flood events that impacted West Park’s flood storage reservoir. However, our offsite expertise meant we could run a trial assembly before building onsite, ensuring public and ecological disruption was minimised and allowing the towpath to reopen in June.”
The replacement structure incorporates a shared deck for walking and cycling, a wider access ramp and steps linking the bridge to the canal towpath. Increased headroom beneath the bridge has also removed a longstanding pinch point on National Cycle Network Route 6, improving the route for people travelling through the area.
The surrounding public realm has been redesigned to create a more accessible and inviting waterside space. Features include a terrace with concrete seating steps, inset Accoya timber bench tops, a launch deck and resin-bound gravel paths. Removing the dark undercrofts associated with the former bridge has also improved natural surveillance across the area.
Offsite construction played an important role in managing the installation. Stepnell carried out a trial assembly before the main structure was erected on site, helping to verify the arrangement of the curved steelwork and reduce the amount of work required over the canal. The approach also helped limit disruption to public access and local ecology.
Flood risk was a significant consideration during the project, particularly given the proximity of the canal and West Park’s flood storage reservoir. Stepnell coordinated flood mitigation and ecological protection with the Canal and River Trust and the Environment Agency. Severe flood events during the construction period added to the challenges of working in the waterside environment.
To compensate for displaced floodwater storage, Stepnell created a new flood storage scrape in the neighbouring Fox Covert Local Nature Reserve. An ecological clerk of works supervised measures to protect water voles and wetland habitats throughout construction.
The £4.2m bridge was funded through the £5.7m walking and cycling package within the Long Eaton Town Deal. Its development involved Erewash Borough Council, the Town Deal Board, Friends of West Park, Long Eaton Victoria Angling Society and Blue Tonic, an East Midlands charity that engages young people in water safety.
The completed bridge combines improved active-travel infrastructure with a design that reflects the town’s industrial heritage. By linking the centre with West Park and improving access along National Cycle Network Route 6, the project forms part of the wider effort to strengthen connections between Long Eaton’s public spaces while supporting the town’s regeneration.
