River Ribble

The Penwortham Bridge replaces a much-loved crossing over the River Ribble in Preston, demolished in 202 after storm damage left it beyond repair. For the community on either side, the loss was felt immediately, a familiar, well-used route through the riverside parkland simply gone. The brief for us was clear: restore a safe, accessible crossing that people could enjoy and rely on and get it right so it will last the long term.

Set within the River Ribble’s green corridor, the bridge is located in one of Preston’s most popular recreational stretches. With mature riverside parkland, traffic-free paths and a well-used walking and cycling network. The river marks a real boundary here: without a crossing at this point, movement between Penwortham and the wider town is significantly longer and less straightforward. Restoring it mattered to people and that matters to us.

Our scope covered the full superstructure design, a deliberately simple and durable solution that would sit lightly within the landscape and perform reliably over its full-service life. The bridge carries pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians across a clear 3.5-metre-wide deck with 1.8-metre parapets, meeting the access requirements of a broad range of users without overcomplicating the structure.

The deck uses a slip-resistant surface to improve accessibility in all conditions and the overall aesthetic is understated and modern, allowing the bridge to sit within the landscape without taking over.

Our work ran across three stages; AIP, detailed design and construction support, with close coordination with Beaver Bridges throughout. Design work was grounded in survey and site information gathered from 2021 and we worked alongside the contractor’s installation strategy from the start, shaping the structural detailing around what was actually buildable on site rather than optimising in isolation. 

The new Penwortham footbridge is open and enjoyed by hundreds of people and that is really all there is to it! A crossing that had been missing for years is back, designed to last and to serve the full range of people who rely on this route. The community response has been positive, and the bridge will continue to have a positive impact for decades to come.