PLANS to build a new walking and cycling bridge in the north of the city look set to take a huge leap forward.

Worcestershire County Council's cabinet meets this morning (March 18) to discuss proposals for a new multi-million-pound bridge between Worcester's Gheluvelt Park and the old Kepax landfill site.

Formal plans have already been drawn up and councillors will meet to decide on awarding construction contracts so the work can begin.

Cabinet papers say, if approved and subject to planning consent, the bridge would be built by next year but no definitive date has yet been revealed.

The cost of the bridge alone will be around £5.8 million with £4 million coming from Worcestershire County Council, £820,000 from Worcester City Council and £1 million from the government's Getting Building Fund money allocated to the county.

County Hall has the final say on the new bridge but has been working in partnership with the city council.

As much as £150,000 was first put forward by the city council in early 2017 to look at building a new bridge in the north of the city.

A further £500,000 was allocated by the city council towards building the bridge in July 2018.

The cost of other improvements and extras around the new bridge are currently expected to cost around another £3 million which would also have to go before cabinet for approval.

Councillor Ken Pollock, cabinet member for economy and infrastructure, said “These bridges would be two big steps forward in our commitment to improve our walking and cycling infrastructure across the county.

“I’m hopeful that my colleagues will endorse the request at Cabinet to move both bridges forward, albeit they are in different stages of development.

“In the last 12 months, we have already delivered a number of schemes to improve walking and cycling routes including a number of improvements in and around Bromsgrove, the opening of Crookbarrow Way and Hams Way footbridges in Worcester as part of the Southern Link Road scheme and more recently, the full refurbishment of Sabrina Bridge in the centre of Worcester.”