New 22-tonne footbridge lifted into place over Serpentine Lake at Preston’s Moor Park

A huge 22-tonne footbridge has been lifted into place over Serpentine Lake at Preston’s Moor Park as a £20m improvement project reaches a major milestone.

The 28.5-metre-long bridge was installed today (Saturday, October 17) using a 500-tonne crane at the Grade II listed city park.

Councillor Wise, deputy leader and cabinet member for community wealth building at Preston City Council, said: “It was fantastic to see the bridge successfully lifted onto Serpentine Lake today and it is an exciting moment for the overall project at Moor Park.

“The council is making significant investment into its parks to ensure they are preserved for generations to come, creating an improved space for residents and visitors to enjoy.”

Councillor Connor Dwyer, cabinet member for parks and community safety, said the successful installation demonstrated the careful planning and collaboration behind the project.

He added: “I’m looking forward to seeing the wider improvement project take shape and to the benefits these improvements will bring to the park and the community.”

Gavin Hulme, managing director of Eric Wright Civil Engineering, said the bridge lift marked a major milestone in the works and would help reinstate an important feature of the city’s oldest park.

He said the company was proud to be working alongside the council to deliver lasting improvements while preserving the Moor Park’s heritage.

What else is changing at Moor Park?

The footbridge is part of a wider programme of improvements aimed at restoring and enhancing the historic park.

Work includes extending and de-silting Serpentine Lake to bring it closer to its original Victorian-era layout, alongside improvements to the loggia and surrounding areas on the northern edge of the water.

Plans also include new trees and shrubs, a full renovation of the changing pavilion and the creation of new wildflower meadows.

The south-east entrance and car park are also being improved, with original stonework at the entrance set to be refurbished.

Football pitches are being remediated and reinstated as part of the programme.

Nick Wiley, partner at FWP, said the project would help protect Moor Park’s heritage while providing better spaces for people of all ages to enjoy.

The improvements are being funded through a £20m UK Government Levelling Up award secured by Preston, Big Local and the Football Foundation.

The funding programme was designed to tackle regional inequalities through investment in infrastructure and regeneration, and has since been consolidated into the Local Regeneration Fund.