Oxford City Council has moved the long-delayed Oxpens River Bridge scheme forward after selecting Jacksons Civil Engineering Group as preferred contractor on the £14m project.

According to Construction Enquirer, work is now expected to start on site this spring, with the bridge due to be craned into position in September and completion targeted for February 2027.

The scheme is a key element of the council’s wider West End regeneration plans aimed at boosting sustainable transport and cutting car use.

The project secured planning permission in 2024 but has faced repeated delays, including a judicial review brought by campaigners that was dismissed last year. The scheme was shrouded in uncertainty late last year when original contractor Balfour Beatty withdrew and forecast costs rose by over £3.7m.

Alex Hollingsworth, planning and culture chief at Oxford City Council, said the appointment marked a “major step forward for Oxford’s sustainable transport network”, adding that design changes would allow more trees to be retained at Grandpont Nature Park.

Opposition to the bridge remains fierce. Protesters from the Friends of Grandpont Nature Park group gathered outside the city’s town hall this week after a last-ditch attempt by councillors to halt the scheme failed when a meeting overran.

Campaigners continue to argue the £14m cost would be better spent on housing infrastructure, with critics branding the bridge a “white elephant” that will damage valued woodland.

(Picture: Oxford City Council)