Campaigners join forces with Lancashire County Council over future of Old Tram Bridge in Preston's Avenham Park

Keen cyclist Michael Nye started the Friends of the Old Tramroad Bridge group after Lancashire County Council closed it following safety concerns.

He met with county councillor Keith Iddon, cabinet member for highways and transport, yesterday to stress how much residents want the bridge to reopen.

Coun Iddon said: “We are working together and we are waiting for the report to come to the officers here. In the meantime we are all constructively moving forward to see what can be done.

“We have chartered engineers writing a report to see what is the best way forward. Obviously people are worried about it and it was good to listen to their concerns.”

“It was a very constructive, cordial and non-confrontational meeting. Obviously we have got to wait until the report is out.

“Their attitude was one of being glad that we had highlighted what this means to all of us and they appreciated that we are their as a friends group more than a campaign group.

“We will be gathering more information and passing that onto the council. It’s going to be a bit of a long haul.

“Ideas for a grand reopening hopefully at some point. When the report is out we will speak to the council again.”

The Old Tramroad Bridge in Avenham Park is regarded as a crucial highway for cyclists, runners and walkers.

Recommendations in the upcoming report are to come to Cabinet at LCC on May 16.