The UK’s first ever heathland green bridge has now opened to walkers, cyclists and horse riders in Surrey. The Cockcrow Bridge connects Ockham and Wisley Commons on either side of the A3, providing a unique corridor for one of the rarest habitat types in the country – lowland heathland.
It acts as a safe crossing over the busy carriageway not just for people, but also for wildlife such as deer, badgers, voles and other small animals.
The beams for the structure were installed by National Highways last year and since then, workers have used specialist equipment to transport turf from nearby land onto the bridge.
Around 10,000 square metres of heathland were moved from donor sites, with the landscape allowed to slowly establish itself over the coming years.
The Cockcrow Bridge is a cornerstone of the green legacy National Highways has pledged to leave as part of a project to upgrade junction 10 of the M25 and the A3 Wisley Interchange.
Jonathan Wade, Senior Project Manager at National Highways, said:
“This scheme is about much more than just improving road journeys – enhancing the surrounding environment is a huge part of our work.
“We are thrilled to have taken this big step forward in bringing the Cockcrow Bridge to life, where a range of wildlife will find it easier to migrate, mate, eat, and survive.”
Green bridges have been hailed as a way of joining disconnected habitats and vulnerable populations, but only a handful have been established so far in the UK, compared to dozens in other countries on the continent.
(Picture: National Highways)
