Nottingham’s iconic Trent Bridge is in need of urgent “care and attention”, including better lighting and barriers, a councillor says.
Trent Bridge, built in 1871 at a cost of £36,000, has only undergone one major change since, when it was widened in 1926.
The Grade II-listed landmark is today used by around 50,000 vehicles travelling into and out of the city every day, as well as huge numbers of football and cricket fans during regular sporting events at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground and Nottinghamshire’s Trent Bridge Cricket Ground.
It celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2021, following extensive maintenance the year before, when all steel and cast-iron parts of the bridge were repainted.
Damaged stonework was also repaired, and gold leafing was reapplied to large sections of the bridge design.
However, city councillor Steve Battlemuch (Lab) says more improvements are needed, particularly to the “dire” pavements, poor lighting, and “eyesore” anti-terror barriers installed back in 2017.
“I think it needs some care and attention. I would like to see some external lighting on either side of the bridge, like some of the other bridges around the country,” Cllr Battlemuch said.
“I would like to see something done about the safety barriers that were put there in 2017, either for them to be removed and replaced by bollards or for them to be covered with appropriate covering, because they are an eyesore at the moment, covered in graffiti.
“I understand some cyclists are not happy with the lack of cycling lanes in and around Trent Bridge, and I think that needs to be looked at by the experts who work with cycling groups.
“It is a very busy road. A lot of traffic comes across it, but a lot of pedestrians come across it as well, particularly around sporting occasions, so we do need to get it right.”
Cllr Battlemuch was previously the council’s portfolio holder for skills, growth, economic development, and property before leadership changes in May 2024.
Steel and concrete safety barriers were put up on either side of Trent Bridge to protect pedestrians at the request of the Government in the wake of terror attacks in London, including an incident involving a car on Westminster Bridge in 2017.
The Government advised councils across the country to install similar barriers around areas where major events take place.
Trent Bridge is maintained by the Bridge Estate charity, for which Nottingham City Council is the sole trustee.
Cllr Battlemuch sits on the council’s Trusts and Charities Committee, which discusses Bridge Estate work.
Money for maintenance typically comes from the charity’s numerous property assets, many of which are based in Lister Gate.
Lighting, highways, and barriers fall under the responsibility of the City Council, except for a short 50-metre section of barrier on the south-west part of the bridge, which belongs to Nottinghamshire County Council.
“For external lights on the bridge, we are talking about hundreds of thousands [of pounds] probably, but that is what the Bridge Estate was set up for, so I do believe that is a legitimate use of the money, and it would not come out of taxpayers’ money in the city or county,” Cllr Battlemuch added.
A City Council spokesperson said: “Extensive works were carried out during 2020, including renewal and repairs of architectural lighting in advance of the 150th anniversary of the opening of Trent Bridge.
“Nottingham City Council will continue to explore options for funding to help us make future improvements to preserve and improve the bridge.”
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