The new incarnation of Preston’s Old Tram Bridge will open on 22nd May, the city council has announced.
The long-awaited confirmation of the opening date comes less than 24 hours after a council meeting at which the authority quashed what cabinet member for community wealth building Valerie Wise described as a “rumour” that the structure would be accessible to the public before the official ceremonial opening had taken place. She said that was “not true”.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service revealed earlier this month that the second half of May was being eyed for the opening after delays to remaining paint works caused by the wet weather since the start of the year.
The cross-river connection between Avenham Park and Penworetham was cut in February 2019 after an inspection found that the previous bridge was at risk of sudden collapse.
Work on the £8.2m replacement started in the summer of 2024 after funding was secured the previous year as part of Preston City Council’s bid for cash from the government’s Levelling Up Fund. That followed a local campaign for the project to be included in the proposed schemes to be pitched to ministers.
The authority says further details of the opening event will follow in the coming weeks.
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