Taunton Town Centre footbridge decision due in spring 2025

The Goodlands Gardens footbridge, which crossed the River Tone between Goodlands Gardens and the Riverain Lodge retirement community on the A3807 Tangier Way, was closed on November 30, 2022 after a report concluded there were “significant” structural weaknesses within the joists and it was “not viable to repair”.

Somerset Council removed the footbridge in late-July, following several studies commissioned by Taunton Town Council into the form a possible replacement may take and where may be best to site it along the river.

Residents now have just over a fortnight to provide feedback on four possible designs for a new bridge, before the town council takes a final decision in the spring.

More reading: 

• Works under way to remove Taunton Goodland Gardens footbridge

• Taunton footbridge not being relocated to Goodland Gardens

• Council to consider replacement of Goodland Gardens footbridge

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Councillor Bev Fernandes, who chairs the council’s community and place committee, spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service about the project during a drop-in event held at Deane House in Taunton on Monday afternoon (October 28).

She said: “The Goodlands Gardens bridge has always been an integral part of the gardens and the town.

“We are quite keen to hear from residents whether they would actually like the bridge replaced – do they see it as a necessary expenditure for those wanting to cross the River Tone?

“There is the Town Bridge that’s further along, and there’s also the bridge that goes from Tangier Way, but it’s difficult getting from the French Weir side directly into Goodlands Gardens.

“We as a town council would like to gain the perspective and views of all of our residents in our area, because we’re a big parish – we’ve got around 61,000 residents, and not all of them live in that particular area.”

Four different options have been produced by consultancy firm WSP, all of which entail installing a new bridge on the same site as the original structure, rather than finding a new position elsewhere on the river.

The four options are:

• A steel truss structure (£305,000-£470,000)
• Fibre reinforced polymer (£330,000-£450,000)
• A steel beam and timber composite (£300,000-£475,000)
• An all-timber design (£255,000-£405,000)

Ms Fernandes – who represents the Manor and Tangier ward on the town council – said the cost of the bridge may not have to be solely borne by Taunton taxpayers through the town council’s precept.

Councillor Bev Fernandes at the Goodlands Gardens footbridge drop-in event in Taunton (Image: Daniel Mumby)

She explained: “We’ve got a really good finance team and town clerk, and we understand that not all the funding (should it go ahead) is going to be met through the precept.

“We can look at community grants, other grant funding, loans from the Public Works Loan Board – there’s lots of different pots that we as a town council could look at we decided to go ahead with it.”

At a full council meeting in early-July, officers indicated that a new bridge may be partially funded through external grants from Wessex Water, the Hinkley Point C community fund and other similar sources.

Taunton developer Acorn Homes is currently carrying out their own consultation on plans to redevelop the former Poundstretcher site a stone’s throw from where the bridge once stood, providing up to 50 flats and ground floor commercial space.

As part of their initial proposals, the developer has promised to reopen the footpath which connected the A3027 Bridge Street to Riverain Lodge and the footbridge site.

Ms Fernandes said there had been “no initial discussions” about securing a financial contribution towards a new bridge from Acorn Homes – but said the town would be open to such conversations.

She said: “I know there are discussions carrying on at the moment about how to reopen that footpath, because it’s been closed for such a long time now.

“That was one of the key routes from the main town bridge onto the river, which has been closed for a long time – but as far as actually approaching them to help with the cost of the bridge, I don’t believe that’s been discussed.

“I’m sure there are discussions to be had if necessary.”

Taunton Town Council has taken on a wide range of local services as part of a devolution deal with Somerset Council, leaving the latter to devote more of its resources to children’s services and adult social care.

Ms Fernandes said that the council would take a range of views on its future spending priorities on board before committing to funding any new bridge.

She said: “We as a town council are really keen to listen to everybody’s views.

“There are going to be lots of people that actually are advocating for the bridge to be replaced, and I guess there’ll be also lots of people advocating for the bridge not to be replaced.

“We want to hear from you – this is why we’re doing this public consultation, so it’s a transparent process and we can say we’ve listened.”

To take part in the consultation, visit www.taunton-tc.gov.uk/the-council/governance-democracy/public-consultations by November 15.

Any proposal will come before the council’s operations and assets committee before a final decision is taken by the full council in the spring of 2025.