Rickmansworth Aquadrome Bridge

Name: One Darnley Road
Price range: $

Hertfordshire, UK

Services

Sectors

Civic and Community

People

Project overview

Enhancing the visitor experience at a well-loved nature reserve

In line with Three Rivers District Council’s (TRDC) aspirations to enhance visitors’ experience of the popular Rickmansworth Aquadrome, we have been appointed to oversee the project management duties for the replacement of the pedestrian bridge and the refurbishment of the Ebury play area. We are also providing the role of Principal Designer for CDM.

We collaborated on the project with ‘New Civil Engineering - Bridge Contractor of the Year 2024’, Beaver Bridges, who developed and completed the design of the superstructure and created 3D design imagery to showcase the striking new bridge. They will also be delivering the full scheme of bridge manufacture, construction works for the foundations, and the installation.

The Rickmansworth Aquadrome, a 41-hectare nature reserve, is situated at the northern end of the Colne Valley Regional Park in the heart of the town.

Central to the Aquadrome is Batchworth Lake and Bury Lake, which were created in the 1920’s by the extraction of gravel to build the original Wembley Stadium.

The lakes, alongside a number of other important wildlife habitats, including wet woodland, reed beds and other wetland habitats are home to a variety of birds including herons, moorhens and ducks, as well as other native animals.

This wealth of wildlife, ease of access to the Aquadrome and facilities such as a children’s play area, a cafe, toilets and free car parking, make it a popular visitor attraction. It is also a key leisure and commuting route for cyclists and pedestrians.

Replacing the old bridge forms a critical part of the wider and significant Rickmansworth Aquadrome Project that aims to restore, improve and safeguard this biodiverse nature reserve while balancing the site’s recreational use for many years to come. We are pleased to share with residents what the new pedestrian bridge will look like, and I look forward to seeing it come to fruition.”

Chris Lloyd

Councillor and TRDC’s Lead Member for Leisure

DELIVERING THE PROJECT

A key transport link for cyclists and pedestrians

Forming part of Route 6 of the National Cycle Network, the pedestrian bridge is a key sustainable transport route from the Aquadrome to the play area, the canal and Colne Valley Regional Park, as well as the wider Rickmansworth area.

To ensure families and cyclists can continue to access the much-loved space for generations to come, the project includes the demolition of the existing 1.5m wide bridge and the installation of a new, wider and stronger bridge. The new bridge will be double the width of the existing, at 3m wide and 48.6m in length.

Ensuring safety and guiding visitors to the new bridge, associated landscaping works will also be delivered. This will include a bell mouth entrance and exit to existing pathways, a raised decking area on the Riverside Drive entrance, street furniture and signage.

Promoting efficiency, we have integrated the renovation work to the play area with the bridge replacement, allowing us to use the space as a site compound following the removal of the play equipment. This offers significant advantages in terms of access, material storage, vehicle manoeuvring and welfare facilities, as well as minimising congestion to nearby public pathways.

A VIBRANT NEW DESIGN

Enhancing the visitor experience

The new bridge has been designed to create a colourful and refreshed look, welcoming visitors, whilst still complementing its surroundings. The completed scheme will greatly improve the visitor experience by providing better pedestrian and cyclist flow across the bridge, as well as new and improved children’s play facilities.

Rickmansworth Aquadrome is well loved by residents, so making sure this key access is future-proofed for years to come is very important to save maintenance costs and minimise disruption as much as possible.

Chris Lloyd

Councillor and TRDC’s Lead Member for Leisure