A multi-million pound pedestrian and cycle footbridge has opened, to better link key Nottingham employment sites, with the support of D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership funding.
The 50metre long bridge spans the Midland Main Line rail track; linking Boots‘ Beeston headquarters and the Nottingham Enterprise Zone – one of four sites in the Nottingham & Derby Enterprise Zone, strategically managed by D2N2 – with Nottingham Science Park and University Boulevard.. It will increase accessibility between the various sites.
In October 2016 Nottingham City Council was awarded funding from the D2N2 LEP to upgrade pedestrian and cycle links on the Boots site.
D2N2 – a private sector-led partnership of business, local authorities, skills and training providers, and community groups which promotes economic growth across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire – is investing £6.1million in the Boots’ Enterprise Zone site’s infrastructure, including the new bridge opened today (March 8).
Tom Goshawk, Capital Projects Manager for the D2N2 LEP, said: “This is all about connectivity between the Enterprise Zone and the city, and offering an alternative route for employees to get to work. In addition, we hope the bridge’s presence will help attract inward investment, by making now more accessible sites nearby attractive to businesses looking to invest.”
The new bridge path is accessed just off University Boulevard, near Nottingham Tennis Centre. It crosses the Midland Main line track and then goes around the Boots site, connecting with Thane Road and Beeston Canal.
Nottingham City Council, which led the project, said the bridge would considerably shorten people’s journey times. Boots Transformation Director, Paul Dunne, and Council Leader Councillor Jon Collins are pictured above (L to R), officially opening the bridge.
Mark Chivers, Director of the Nottingham Enterprise Zone at Boots, added: “With thousands of people accessing the Boots site every day, the new cycle and pedestrian bridge will create a whole new way for people to get into work and access the site and Enterprise Zone, by extending a link to the tram and bus services from Nottingham University Tram stop.”
Contractor Eurovia will continue to build the bridge’s ramps and associated paths, ahead of the full path opening early next year (2020).
For more on how the D2N2 LEP is helping back major infrastructure projects across its area see its this website at www.d2n2lep.org/Local-Growth-Fund
Further information on the Boots Enterprise Zone site at link www.d2n2lep.org/Growth/Enterprise-Zone
Media wanting more information about the D2N2 LEP can contact D2N2 Communications Manager Sean Kirby on 0115 9578749 or email: sean.kirby@d2n2lep.org
