The new £7.6m bridge that’s reconnected village to beautiful UK national park

A flood resistant bridge dubbed as a “Jewel-in-the-Crown” for Cumbria has provided key access for locals whilst maintaining the area’s natural beauty. 

Awarded ‘Civils Project of the Year’, Pooley Bridge is situated in the village sharing its name, crossing over the beautiful River Eamont. 

Once a historic stone bridge, the UK’s first stainless-steel road bridge is a testament to the advances in British infrastructure. Costing a staggering £7.6m to build, Pooley Bridge replaced the one’s beloved listed stone crossing. 

The original Lake District structure was built in 1764 used to carry packhorses across the river. However, Storm Desmond completely destroyed it back in December 2015 – one of the 784 bridges to be damaged.

The disastrous ruin of the bridge created a mega 16km detour for locals due to it being a key crossing area between the bisected village, as well as being a route to the UNESCO World Heritage Lake District National Park.

However, Cumbria Country Council quickly acknowledged the importance that the crossing holds, launching its Infrastructure Recovery Programme. Labelled as ‘The People’s Bridge’, the new stainless steel project was a lifesaver for many local stakeholders who the programme engaged throughout its build. 

Taking only one year to design and erect, the structure was opened to the public by 2021. 

Cumbria County Council emphasised the need for a future-proof bridge which is completely resilient to flooding and other natural disasters – also complying with health and safety regulations with a concise timeframe to meet with the villager’s wishes for the iconic bridge to be replaced as soon as possible. 

Cumbria appointed the bridge specialist Knight-Architects with Mott-Macdonald to design the grand bridge. The thorough engagement process with the community led to the translation of the bridge meeting the needs of both the residents and the council. 

Spanning 40m in length, the bridge consists of a single-span arch, reinforced concrete deck and arch and a stainless steel structure. 

The millions of pounds worth of costs can partly be attributed to the lean duplex stainless-steel used for its build, costing 2.5 more expensive than carbon steel. However, this was crucial for its longevity, also making it maintenance free and more aesthetically pleasing.