The Millennium Bridge at Lancaster

A new bridge has just been opened over the River Lune at Lancaster. Now, at long last, pedestrians and cyclists (especially cyclists) are able to cross the River Lune without dicing with death on the one-way 20,000-vehicles-per-day Greyhound and Skerton Bridges, or staggering up (and down) the long flight of steps to the walkway alongside Carlisle Bridge.

The Millennium Bridge is the centrepiece of the Lune Millennium Park, an environmental upgrade project to enhance the riverside area along the Lune from Bull Beck (above Caton) down to Salt Ayre, with the emphasis on providing sustainable transport links. Of particular benefit is the opportunity of linking the long-established traffic-free cycleway to Morecambe with comparable paths on the south bank to Caton and Glasson Dock all founded on disused railways.

The bridge, designed by Whitby Bird, the innovative bridge architects, is of striking concept and construction. The bridge is of cable-stayed construction, as are most major new bridges nowadays; unique features include the curved deck which sweeps round to join the old viaduct at the southern end, the gangway which gives access from the quayside and the twin masts which support the structure.

The construction of the bridge has caused a few headaches along the way, unfortunately somewhat exacerbated by the advanced, not to say revolutionary, design. Construction commenced in November 1999 and for a long while assurances were given that the bridge would be completed in time for the Millennium Festival of Cycling in June, 2000. This slipped to Cyclefest in August, but after that postponement piled on postponement. One reason for the delay was the unexpectedly high river levels last winter. Although the bridge designers are no doubt satisfied as to the structural integrity of the finished bridge, there was perhaps insufficient thought given as to how Henry Boot the hapless contractors, were supposed to actually build the thing. Serious technical problems were encountered when the contractors came to lift the masts into position and the 1,000-tonne crane which had been hired for heavy lifting for five days had to stay for five weeks. There have also been contractual problems and the final straw came when the firm sub-contracted to fabricate and install the balustrades went into receivership.

But our patience has at last been rewarded. The official opening ceremony was to have been performed by Lancaster's most famous cycling personality, Jason Queally (not by his grandson as earlier cruel rumour had it!). Unfortunately, only one day previously, Jason was involved in a crash on his bike whilst training in Florida, and was unable to fly home. His place was taken at the last minute by Tom Queally, his father. The day dawned bright and clear, and a crowd of about 2,000 turned out for the occasion amply demonstrating the popularity of the new addition to Lancaster's skyline. Young Louise Gibbons was awarded the honour of being the first cyclist over the new bridge as the winning entrant in a road safety competition.

The bridge is a vital component in the National Cycle Network, a nation-wide project supported by the Millennium Commission and promoted by Sustrans, to establish a connected system of traffic-free and lightly-trafficked routes throughout the country. The Lune Millennium Bridge forms part of National Cycle Network route 6 which runs north from Preston to Morecambe. It is planned to extend route 6 northwards to Carnforth and Kendal over the next five years. A special milepost, one of many donated by the Royal Bank of Scotland to the project, stands at the northern end of the bridge.

The bridge has not been without its critics, and a vigorous campaign to stifle the project at birth was conducted by residents of the smart riverside flats on the Quay, headed by the artist Geoff Woodhead, adducing a number of practical and aesthetic objections. The popularity of the bridge now that it is open show that the project is very far from being the white elephant that its detractors claimed it would be. Although the aesthetic argument still rages, many people in Lancaster are highly enthusiastic about its stunning elevation. It is an unfortunate fact of life that anything innovative always seems to attract a lot of criticism.

We can be sure that the new bridge will have a dramatic effect on transport in the district. A survey conducted by Sustrans showed that over 500 people use the bridge during the morning peak period (nearly half of all the cyclists and pedestrians who cross the river in the morning). The survey also showed a 16% increase in the total number of cyclists and pedestrians crossing the river at that time. The City's own survey shows 3000 people using the bridge over a full ten-hour period. And already there are indications that visitors are coming from afar specifically to see the bridge, a spectacular landmark for which Lancaster may well become famous.

Bridge facts and figures

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Site last revised Sunday, February 24, 2002 20:15:30