Oxford’s £10m pedestrian and cycle Thames bridge approved

Oxford City Council has given planning permission for a £10m pedestrian and cycle crossing across the River Thames in west Oxford.

The scheme will provide a link for people from the west and south of the city to and from the city centre, including those in proposed new developments at Osney Mead and Oxpens. It also ties into the redevelopment of Oxford station in the city’s west and will help to reduce congestion in and around Oxford city centre.

Funding is through the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal (HGD), for which Oxfordshire County Council is the overseeing authority. The structure is being developed and delivered by Oxford City Council but once completed maintenance responsibility will be with the county council and the design has been “deliberately considered to support the ease of maintenance”.

The steel Oxpens Bridge was designed by Knight Architects, with Stantec as structural engineer. Its design is said “to integrate with the local landscape, particularly the surrounding meadows, and to prioritise visual lightness”. Balfour Beatty is the contractor and Briton the steel fabricator.

A requirement of the city council’s Oxford Local Plan is to support wider regeneration of the west end of Oxford and the new bridge will “maximise connectivity and minimise congestion for existing residents and commuters as well as for evolving new communities in and around Oxford City Centre”.

Knight Architects director Tom Osborne said, “Achieving planning permission for any bridge over the Thames is a huge challenge so we’re delighted to see this project move forward.

“Good design is a unique response to people and place and we believe this new crossing will continue Oxford’s long-standing ambition to promote modal shift as well as unlock the place-making potential of this beautiful site.”

Oxford City Council’s timeline for the bridge aims to see construction start this summer as there is a requirement from the Oxfordshire Growth Deal for construction to be complete by 31 March 2025.

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