On Monday 5 September, work will get underway to put a temporary footbridge in place above the existing Darley Abbey Mills Bridge. Whilst the works take place, there will be a number of temporary traffic restrictions within Darley Village.

From Monday 5 September until Friday 7 October, the parking bays on Darley Street at the junction with Old Road will be suspended so that a small site compound and welfare facilities can be put in place. Between Monday 5 and Monday 19 September, foundations for the temporary bridge will also be constructed.

From Monday 19 September to Friday 23 September, Old Lane will be closed from its junction with Darley Street to the Darley Abbey Mills Bridge to allow the footbridge to be lifted into place. There will be no vehicle access for the duration of the closure and no pedestrian access during working hours. Residents in affected properties will be marshalled through the site.

During the same dates, the existing one-way system on West Row will be reversed and suspended on Darley Street and New Road to allow for two-way traffic. Temporary traffic lights will be put in place on New Road between The Hill and Darley Street. Signed Diversion Routes will be in place.

Residents and parents of local school children are asked to not park on Old Lane or Church Lane between Monday 19 and Friday 23 September to allow access for large vehicles, the crane and the bridge.

We acknowledge that the removal of on-street parking and road closures will be disruptive to residents but it is imperative that roads are kept clear to enable us to complete these preparations and the bridge lift. We’d like to thank local residents in advance for their patience and understanding whilst we undertake what will be quite a feat of engineering!

The temporary footbridge is expected to be in place by the 23 of September with associated access ramps being constructed the following week.

The bridge will be open to the public by early October 2022.

Councillor Steve Hassall commented:

We know that local residents and businesses have been impacted by the closure of Darley Abbey Mills Bridge and we hope that the installation of the temporary footbridge will help to alleviate some of these pressures.
Although the footbridge is currently a temporary solution, it will allow us the time we need to develop a much-needed permanent solution.

We’re continuing to liaise closely with all those affected and I’d like to thank everyone for being so patient and understanding of this challenging situation.

Darley Abbey Mills Bridge was closed in May following a routine inspection after seasonal flooding. Concerns were raised by a utilities company and the Council commissioned a further inspection. The inspection raised serious concerns, and the Council took the decision to close all access to the bridge.

The recommendation of a short-term solution over the existing bridge follows extensive work with a specialist contractor and the Council's Structural Engineering team. While the option is not risk-free it would support the community and local businesses. It also allows further time to consider and develop a more permanent option.

For queries or further information, please contact Engineering@derby.gov.uk