Hornby bridge to be made wheelchair friendly - while keeping bats safe

The work is due to be done in September and October to minimise the potential for disturbance to roosting bats under the bridge, which crosses the River Wenning.

County councillors agreed during a virtual cabinet meeting on Thursday that the proposals for the footway to be widened on the bridge in Main Street, Hornby, should be given the green light.

Also approved was the provision of a No Waiting At Any Time restriction on the east side of the road, from 97 metres north of its junction with Station Road for a distance of 125 metres in a northerly direction.

The eastern footway over the bridge will increase to a width of 2.2 metres, providing a safer and more convenient route for pedestrians.

The footway will be widened into the carriageway, the remaining width of which will be 7.3 metres, which is considered an acceptable width for a road of this type.

The estimated cost of implementing the footway widening and waiting restriction is £45,000. This will be funded through part of the £93,000 allocation towards Hornby Bridge made from the Department for Transport's Safer Roads Fund initiative.

County Coun Keith Iddon, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "The narrow pavement on the eastern side of Hornby Bridge is currently too narrow to be safely used by anyone with mobility problems, particularly if they use a wheelchair.

"The improvements agreed by cabinet to widen the pavement will bring it up to standard and remove a potential hazard for pedestrians."