Exeter’s MP says decision-makers at County Hall are missing a trick by rebuilding two landmark bridges without making room for bikes, boats and barges.
Labour MP Steve Race wants Devon County Council to seize the full opportunity offered by replacing the bridges crossing the Exeter Ship Canal at Bridge Road on the A379.
The council plans to replace the current ageing bridges – a bascule bridge that uses a counterweight to move vertically like a see-saw and a swing bridge that moves horizontally.
In their place there will be two new bascule bridges.
Mr Race has criticised the county council for choosing to consult on just one option that would replace the bridges at the existing level, with a slightly widened road layout to allow for two-way traffic even if one bridge is under maintenance.
At meetings with the Inland Waterways Association and Friends of Exeter Ship Canal and Heritage Harbour, Mr Race agreed with their view that the council is missing an opportunity to improve both freight transport options and active travel connectivity.
He is now calling for a re-think to include options which would raise the level of the bridges to increase the amount of space underneath, creating room for pedestrians, cyclists and others to get underneath rather than going up to the road and stopping the traffic in order to cross the road.
Mr Race has also pointed to the potential to move more freight transport from busy city roads to the waterway, which would improve roadside air quality, protect roads from the damage of heavy freight vehicles, use less fuel and reduce overall air pollution.
Raising the height of the roadway would also allow paddleboards and yachts with lowered masts through, where at the moment there is only room for canoes.
“The new bridges are expected to last for 60 years or more, so this is a rare opportunity to make a significant decision about an important route at the heart of Exeter,” he said. “We have the chance to have a real vision for the future of the canal and how it can work better for Exeter and its people for decades to come.
“I’m disappointed that Devon County Council has decided to consult on only one option, which represents a lack of ambition for Exeter.
“The final decision will have an impact on Exeter for at least the next 60 years. It is important that local people have the opportunity to understand all of the options available and to make their voices heard.”
City councillor Ruth Williams ,(Lab, Mincinglake and Whipton), who chairs the Exeter Harbour Board, added: “It is vital that we ensure the replacements not only support today’s transport network, but also the city’s objectives and the sustainability of the canal for decades to come.
“Increasing the navigable air draft under the bridges means less traffic congestion by reducing the need to close bridges for boat convoys and pedestrian crossings. Free flowing traffic and boat passage are central to unlocking these future opportunities, or else we risk creating a fixed constraint that cannot be addressed for a generation.”
The existing consultation runs until July 27.
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