Green bridge
Green bridge | |
The first Green Bridge in the UK was over the A11 at Mile End | |
Pictures related to Green bridge View gallery (9) |
A green bridge, also known as a landscape bridge or wildlife overbridge, is a form of landscaping that allows a forest, park or green belt area to pass over a road uninterrupted, allowing wildlife and people to safely pass over a road without necessarily knowing that they are passing over a road.
While a Tunnel can produce a similar outcome, Green Bridges are designed and built as a bridge, removing the need to construct a tunnel, which is a lengthy and expensive process.
While common across Europe and North America they are less so in the UK, although they are becoming more common. The most famous in the UK is the Green Bridge in Mile End, which connects the two sides of Mile End Park in Greater London. There are other examples, including the Scotney Land Bridge at the southern end of the Lamberhurst Bypass on the A21, a couple along Weymouth Way on the A354 and one at the A391 Carluddon Scheme near St Austell. The next one opened on 6 March 2017 over the A556 realignment near Knutsford.
The A90 Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route includes three such bridges; one at Kingcausie, to the north of Cleanhill Roundabout, and two at Kirkhill, to the west of Aberdeen Airport, one of which includes a farm accommodation access road.
The bridge carrying City Road over the A500 at their junction in Stoke-on-Trent is a sort of mini green bridge, with extra width to accommodate greenery at the sides.
Links
gov.uk
- Green bridges: safer travel for wildlife (31 July 2015) (archive.org)
This article started life as a discussion on the SABRE forums