WORK on Worcester's new Kepax Bridge is expected to be completed by the end of the year with construction continuing at pace. 

The multi-million-pound Kepax Bridge project in Gheluvelt Park will see a new walking and cycling bridge reach from Gheluvelt Park to the former Kepax landfill site in Worcester.

Works are ongoing on the new bridge over the River Severn, which aims to help reduce traffic on the roads and promote health and wellbeing. 

Upcoming works will continue to focus on the removal of stone out of the park and importing soil in for landscaping. 

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The on-site cabins and car park will be removed this week to allow landscaping to continue on the east side of the river. 

There will also be works continuing on the bridge with the installation of expansion joints and bearings and the laying of the final surfacing.

All the bridge sections were lifted into place this summer, with the focus of the work now being to remove over 6500 tonnes of stone and import over 3000 tonnes of subsoil and topsoil material. 

The bridge handrails have been installed, fencing and landscaping has been completed on the west side of the river, and National Grid has been on site to power the street lighting in the park and handrail lighting on the bridge.

All materials removed from the site are recycled or reused on other construction schemes.

Worcestershire County Council's cabinet member for highways and transport, Cllr Marc Bayliss, said: “The works have continued to progress well on site and although we’ve had the excitement of the bridge deck being lifted into place, there’s still a lot of work to do before we’re ready to open the bridge. 

"The team are working hard to ensure we have a new bridge for local residents to use before the end of the year.

“This is an important project for the county, one that will bring a major boost for the health and wellbeing of people who live, study, visit or work in Worcester.”

The new bridge came after the council was told it could not be trusted to use the money for walking and cycling correctly until it improved as part of a 'zero' rating by government body Active Travel England.

The rating was given to the council for not even meeting the 'minimum standards' of political leadership on boosting walking and cycling in the county and for its lacklustre track record of providing improvements.