One lane in each direction on Trent Bridge could be permanently removed from traffic and converted into protected pedestrian space under proposals linked to Nottingham Forest’s City Ground expansion.
The option is set out in an updated transport assessment submitted as part of the club’s planning application to redevelop the Peter Taylor Stand and Trent End.
The wider development would increase the stadium’s capacity from around 30,000 to 45,000. A separate outline application for the redevelopment of the Brian Clough Stand could eventually take capacity to 52,500.
Prepared by transport consultancy Steer, the July 2026 assessment says the expansion is expected to result in significantly more supporters walking across Trent Bridge before and after matches.
It says the bridge is the most direct river crossing for supporters travelling between the stadium, Nottingham railway station and the city centre.
The report identifies an existing conflict between pedestrians and vehicles after fixtures, with large numbers of supporters spilling into the carriageway during peak departure periods.
A total of 12 possible traffic-management options were considered during discussions involving councils and other stakeholders. These were reduced to three options, with a two-lane split closure and a southbound contraflow subsequently examined in more detail.
The split-closure proposal would permanently remove one of the three traffic lanes in each direction across Trent Bridge.
Approach lanes would be gradually reduced through tapers and lane drops, with the space released on both sides of the bridge converted for pedestrians.
The assessment says: “The design is a lane closure approach which uses appropriate tapering and lane drops on approaches to reduce the available carriageway width by one lane, which can then be repurposed for pedestrian flows.”
Supporters would enter the protected lanes from Trentside North, the Trent Bridge underpass and the pedestrian crossing on London Road.
The lanes could be separated from traffic using interconnected plates topped with hostile vehicle mitigation bollards. The document compares the possible arrangement with protected space installed on Westminster Bridge in London.
A second option would involve introducing a temporary contraflow after matches. Under this arrangement, the southbound carriageway would be closed to general traffic, while vehicles travelling in both directions would share the northbound side of the bridge.
One lane would be retained for traffic in each direction, alongside an emergency-services bypass lane operated by stewards and the club’s control centre.
However, the assessment says proposals to trial temporary arrangements were ruled out by the highway authorities because of safety concerns relating to the split closure and the potential network impact of the contraflow.
It says the only option considered acceptable by the highway authority was a permanent increase in pedestrian space across Trent Bridge, involving the loss of some road capacity.
Traffic modelling commissioned for the assessment found the permanent two-lane arrangement could lead to localised increases in weekday journey times.
The largest increases identified by the strategic modelling were between 42 and 46 seconds on routes into Nottingham during the morning peak. More detailed local modelling estimated maximum delays of around 30 to 35 seconds per vehicle, primarily affecting movements around Radcliffe Road and the southern end of Trent Bridge.
The consultants concluded that the proposal would not have a significant adverse impact on the wider highway network.
The report also claims the arrangement could improve traffic movements after major events by separating pedestrians from vehicles. Its modelling suggests the surrounding network could accommodate around 1,695 additional vehicle movements during the peak post-match hour under the managed arrangement.
The proposals form part of a wider event transport strategy intended to reduce the number of supporters driving into West Bridgford.
Other measures include greater use of public transport and park-and-ride facilities, matchday shuttle buses, improved walking routes, changes to local parking controls and better travel information for supporters.
On-site parking at the Peter Taylor Stand would fall from 152 spaces to nine, with the released land forming a new pedestrian plaza. Parking at the stadium would largely be restricted to operational staff, accessible visitors and VIPs, while cycle parking would increase from 10 to 140 spaces.
The transport assessment has been submitted in support of planning application 25/02123/FUL. The proposals remain subject to consideration through the planning process and the report does not itself grant approval for changes to Trent Bridge.
