Stepnell’s Long Eaton bridge: design, access and flood-risk notes for engineers
Reviewed by Tom Sullivan
First reported on The Construction Index
30 Second Briefing
Stepnell has completed a £4.2m lace-inspired pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Erewash Canal in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, using 124 tonnes of curved, galvanised steel fins to replace a narrow footbridge and remove a long-standing headroom pinch point on National Cycle Network Route 6. Delivered under the £25m Town Deal, the scheme adds a wider shared deck, improved ramps and steps, and a waterside terrace with concrete seat steps, accoya timber benches and resin-bonded gravel paths. Flood risk and ecology were managed through a new flood storage scrape in Fox Covert Local Nature Reserve, coordinated with the Canal & River Trust and Environment Agency, with an ecological clerk of works protecting water voles and wetland habitat.
Technical Brief
- Stepnell ran a full offsite trial assembly of the 124‑tonne curved steel superstructure to de-risk lifting over the live canal.
- Heavy lifting logistics were sequenced to maintain a safe corridor alongside the high-footfall towpath during works.
- Construction was programmed through severe flood events affecting West Park’s flood storage reservoir, requiring dynamic site access and safety planning.
- Removal of dark undercrofts from the previous bridge improves natural surveillance and passive personal security on the route.
- An ecological clerk of works monitored all operations near Fox Covert Local Nature Reserve to protect water voles and wetland margins.
- Stakeholder engagement included Blue Tonic, bringing specialist input on young people’s water safety around the new launch deck.
- Coordinated flood compensation with the Canal & River Trust and Environment Agency embeds flood-safety considerations into urban active-travel upgrades.
Our Take
The 124-tonne steel element over the Erewash Canal suggests a mid-range, complex foot and cycle bridge rather than a light-span structure, positioning Stepnell as capable of delivering heavier steelwork in constrained waterways where navigation and Environment Agency controls are critical.
Stepnell’s recent leadership change, with Simon Gorski joining from Lendlease as managing director, indicates that the Long Eaton bridge and wider Town Deal work could be leveraged as a case study to pivot the company further into urban regeneration and public-realm infrastructure rather than purely building-led contracts.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
Related Articles
Related Industries & Products
Construction
Quality control software for construction companies with material testing, batch tracking, and compliance management.
Mining
Geotechnical software solutions for mining operations including CMRR analysis, hydrogeological testing, and data management.
QCDB-io
Comprehensive quality control database for manufacturing, tunnelling, and civil construction with UCS testing, PSD analysis, and grout mix design management.