Instant Bridleway Bridge over major Road
- Thread starter PeterNatt
- Start date
ester
Not slacking multitasking
We're doing quite well on horse bridges here at them moment, this is the 3rd in a small area though I think there's a bit of a design flaw with the sides of one.
PeterNatt
Well-Known Member
What was the design flaw?
ester
Not slacking multitasking
So for context I'm very used to riding over normal motorway bridges with normal height barriers in somerset.
This one (the swavesey one) has a higher rail than normal which is great but the infill between that rail and the path level of the bridge is very open metal netting. Which I am sure is secure but it does mean you can see a lot more of the road/vehicles going underneath you than you would do on a standard bridge. I only go over on a bike and it's just not what I would have chosen if designing a horse bridge.
Hope that makes sense, might have a photo somewhere!
oh found a video, the opening shot shows it quite well.
This one (the swavesey one) has a higher rail than normal which is great but the infill between that rail and the path level of the bridge is very open metal netting. Which I am sure is secure but it does mean you can see a lot more of the road/vehicles going underneath you than you would do on a standard bridge. I only go over on a bike and it's just not what I would have chosen if designing a horse bridge.
Hope that makes sense, might have a photo somewhere!
oh found a video, the opening shot shows it quite well.
shortstuff99
Well-Known Member
I think you are supposed to lead over it too as there is a mounting block at each end.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
Yes you have the choice, mounting blocks in place but we all know that leading isn't always the best option 
it just gives me the willies on the bike/I realise I'd prefer a normal lower barrier if I had a horse. - I don't so it's not an issue for me. I probably would ride Frank over it because he's as sound as with that sort of thing.
it just gives me the willies on the bike/I realise I'd prefer a normal lower barrier if I had a horse. - I don't so it's not an issue for me. I probably would ride Frank over it because he's as sound as with that sort of thing.
shortstuff99
Well-Known Member
Some of my friends have ridden over it, but it's not really for me ?Yes you have the choice, mounting blocks in place but we all know that leading isn't always the best option
it just gives me the willies on the bike/I realise I'd prefer a normal lower barrier if I had a horse. - I don't so it's not an issue for me. I probably would ride Frank over it because he's as sound as with that sort of thing.
dixie
Well-Known Member
I don’t think I could even walk over that bridge - maybe in the middle - definitely not on a horse?
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SEL
Well-Known Member
Not me - get vertigo just walking on my own feet!
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite
Well-Known Member
We have three different roadbridges where I am, over a major trunk road. They are situated where minor roads cross the main A-road which was built in 1997.
NONE of them have high railings beside them! If we hack out, because the routes are all circular here, we have to cross TWO roadbridges i.e. one going out and a different one on the way back.
Our horses have all got thoroughly used to it now (even my youngster didn't turn a hair at it); and any new horses to the yard are taken over with one of ours for the first few times. They all take to it OK.
But I DO wish they'd thought to put higher railings at the side! It can be very disconcerting to look down onto the dual carriageway - and the railing comes about up to your stirrup. All it needs is one spook and you'd be down there........ :O
NONE of them have high railings beside them! If we hack out, because the routes are all circular here, we have to cross TWO roadbridges i.e. one going out and a different one on the way back.
Our horses have all got thoroughly used to it now (even my youngster didn't turn a hair at it); and any new horses to the yard are taken over with one of ours for the first few times. They all take to it OK.
But I DO wish they'd thought to put higher railings at the side! It can be very disconcerting to look down onto the dual carriageway - and the railing comes about up to your stirrup. All it needs is one spook and you'd be down there........ :O
Suechoccy
Well-Known Member
Hi, as Peter Natt says we have three new Non Motorised User bridges as part of the A14 and Northstowe developments in Cambridgeshire:
1 Bar Hill Public Bridleway bridge over A1037(exA14) single carriageway and new A14 (triple carriageway) so 8 lanes in total to BHS recommended bridleway bridge standard with infill, also with concrete mounting blocks each side.
2 Wilson Road spur Public Bridleway bridge (the one Peter shows in the video being lifted into position) between Northstowe and Longstanton to provide safe NMU access over the new Northstowe town main access road (single carriageway I think...I haven't seen this bridge or the new road close-up yet as it's all closed off at moment while being constructed)
3 Swavesey/Cambridge Services NMU bridge. In consultations the case was put forward for a Public Bridleway bridge but the final design was for a walking/cycling-only bridge on basis "no evidence of horses/horseriders in the area" which I hotly contested, asking Highways England which aspects of "Swavesey" and "Bridleways" in the bridleway group name Swavesey & District Bridleways Association did they not assume indicated the presence of ridden horses and had my 5-10 years of attending their consultations, Saturday workshops, many many emails all been in vain, had they really listened to me or had I been wasting my my valuable spare volunteer time. Likewise the County Council, District Council, parish councils and British Horse Society were also surprised to see the public bridleway bridge had become a cycling/walking only bridge.
So I had a good detailed conversation with Highways England, excellent guy called Mike Evans, asked about weight/strength of bridge for carrying horses (checked out fine) so suggested that an easy solution with no embarrassment would be to install mounting blocks either side, in any case as most people would want to lead because the bridge is quite high off the ground so it could be a bit of a rider frightener.
This was agreed as the official solution and furthermore, concrete mounting blocks were also installed either side of the Bar Hill bridge.
Below are photos of my horses, me and a friend, on the Swavesey NMU (dismounted) bridge and its mounting blocks.
1 Bar Hill Public Bridleway bridge over A1037(exA14) single carriageway and new A14 (triple carriageway) so 8 lanes in total to BHS recommended bridleway bridge standard with infill, also with concrete mounting blocks each side.
2 Wilson Road spur Public Bridleway bridge (the one Peter shows in the video being lifted into position) between Northstowe and Longstanton to provide safe NMU access over the new Northstowe town main access road (single carriageway I think...I haven't seen this bridge or the new road close-up yet as it's all closed off at moment while being constructed)
3 Swavesey/Cambridge Services NMU bridge. In consultations the case was put forward for a Public Bridleway bridge but the final design was for a walking/cycling-only bridge on basis "no evidence of horses/horseriders in the area" which I hotly contested, asking Highways England which aspects of "Swavesey" and "Bridleways" in the bridleway group name Swavesey & District Bridleways Association did they not assume indicated the presence of ridden horses and had my 5-10 years of attending their consultations, Saturday workshops, many many emails all been in vain, had they really listened to me or had I been wasting my my valuable spare volunteer time. Likewise the County Council, District Council, parish councils and British Horse Society were also surprised to see the public bridleway bridge had become a cycling/walking only bridge.
So I had a good detailed conversation with Highways England, excellent guy called Mike Evans, asked about weight/strength of bridge for carrying horses (checked out fine) so suggested that an easy solution with no embarrassment would be to install mounting blocks either side, in any case as most people would want to lead because the bridge is quite high off the ground so it could be a bit of a rider frightener.
This was agreed as the official solution and furthermore, concrete mounting blocks were also installed either side of the Bar Hill bridge.
Below are photos of my horses, me and a friend, on the Swavesey NMU (dismounted) bridge and its mounting blocks.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
Sue is that why the sides are as they are on that one? It was because making it a bridleway bridge was a bit of a retrofit? It definitely opens up the nice bridleways the other side for riders (and it's less stressful as a cyclist)
I've not been on the barhill one yet only underneath it, is the fencing the same on that one? I will certainly be using it when the Northstowe road is finished, the barhill to longstanton road is one I totally avoid on the bike if possible and it's deteriorating rapidly.
I love using the new local road path and the bit that goes past the dry drayton junction down to histon and I've been checking which bridleways go where whenever I pass a sign for new summer routes. I did note that the madingley to crematorium bridleways does now have a sign even if the gate is still locked which is progress at least
I've not been on the barhill one yet only underneath it, is the fencing the same on that one? I will certainly be using it when the Northstowe road is finished, the barhill to longstanton road is one I totally avoid on the bike if possible and it's deteriorating rapidly.
I love using the new local road path and the bit that goes past the dry drayton junction down to histon and I've been checking which bridleways go where whenever I pass a sign for new summer routes. I did note that the madingley to crematorium bridleways does now have a sign even if the gate is still locked which is progress at least
hobo
Well-Known Member
Love the smart mounting blocks in my youth I used to cross a road bridge over the M3 we did lead as they were not really designed with horses in mind then.
Suechoccy
Well-Known Member
Hi Ester,
The Swavesey bridge in the photos was designed as a cycling/walking bridge, hence the fencing (type and height) but the consultations which preceded it had agreed it would be a bridleway bridge (fencing type and height like you have at Bar Hill with solid infill at bottom and 3-4 horizontal rails with mesh infill). The new bridge which was lifted in over the Northstowe access road is also a bridleway bridge. The new road bridge at Lolworth has a wide tarmac bridleway path on one side of it with the same bridleway-standard solid infill at bottom and bridleway fencing too.
We need to get a bridleway link between Lolworth and Bar Hill. The link was mooted and much discussed but wasn't included as part of A14 upgrade community works and county council have no funding of their own to do it so there is only a footpath (can't remember if it's permissive or public) between these two villages.
Similarly the old farm accommodation bridge over the old A14 at Girton has been refurbished to be a brand new bridleway bridge, same fencing as at Bar Hill, and has a lovely brand new wide tarmac public bridleway, with grass verges, linking the Oakington A14 junction to it. The bridleway sign at Oakington junction is signposed "Girton". However when the brand new bridleway reaches the northern side of the bridge, you will see the brand new signage shows the bridleway bridge as only being a Public Footpath (no cyclists or horseriders) and the stretch of public footpath linking southern side of bridge down to Huntingdon Road also remains Public Footpath. There is a short length of path from the northern side of bridge through the copse to Welland Way, Girton and as part of A14 community grant/County Council this has been designated as "cycle path". So we have the ridiculous situation where you can ride from Oakington junctionA14 on a brand new bridleway to the foot of the brand new bridleway bridge but you cannot use that bridge to access Huntingdon Road and nor can you ride along the path to Welland Way to Girton. So it is a dead end bridleway for horseriders even though it's signpost "Girton".
I am wondering about asking Cambridge Cycle Campaign (who are rebadging themselves as Camcycle) if they will take up both the Lolworth-Bar Hill and the unusable Girton bridleway bridge which doesn't take riders to/from Girton or Huntingdon Road (although they can use Welland Way path). If we can work with them to press for both routes to be public bridleway so that cycling and horseriding can legally happen on both, that would provide much-needed safe links in a broken network.
The Swavesey bridge in the photos was designed as a cycling/walking bridge, hence the fencing (type and height) but the consultations which preceded it had agreed it would be a bridleway bridge (fencing type and height like you have at Bar Hill with solid infill at bottom and 3-4 horizontal rails with mesh infill). The new bridge which was lifted in over the Northstowe access road is also a bridleway bridge. The new road bridge at Lolworth has a wide tarmac bridleway path on one side of it with the same bridleway-standard solid infill at bottom and bridleway fencing too.
We need to get a bridleway link between Lolworth and Bar Hill. The link was mooted and much discussed but wasn't included as part of A14 upgrade community works and county council have no funding of their own to do it so there is only a footpath (can't remember if it's permissive or public) between these two villages.
Similarly the old farm accommodation bridge over the old A14 at Girton has been refurbished to be a brand new bridleway bridge, same fencing as at Bar Hill, and has a lovely brand new wide tarmac public bridleway, with grass verges, linking the Oakington A14 junction to it. The bridleway sign at Oakington junction is signposed "Girton". However when the brand new bridleway reaches the northern side of the bridge, you will see the brand new signage shows the bridleway bridge as only being a Public Footpath (no cyclists or horseriders) and the stretch of public footpath linking southern side of bridge down to Huntingdon Road also remains Public Footpath. There is a short length of path from the northern side of bridge through the copse to Welland Way, Girton and as part of A14 community grant/County Council this has been designated as "cycle path". So we have the ridiculous situation where you can ride from Oakington junctionA14 on a brand new bridleway to the foot of the brand new bridleway bridge but you cannot use that bridge to access Huntingdon Road and nor can you ride along the path to Welland Way to Girton. So it is a dead end bridleway for horseriders even though it's signpost "Girton".
I am wondering about asking Cambridge Cycle Campaign (who are rebadging themselves as Camcycle) if they will take up both the Lolworth-Bar Hill and the unusable Girton bridleway bridge which doesn't take riders to/from Girton or Huntingdon Road (although they can use Welland Way path). If we can work with them to press for both routes to be public bridleway so that cycling and horseriding can legally happen on both, that would provide much-needed safe links in a broken network.