Costain, an infrastructure solutions company, has announced the completion of the Chiverton bridge, a new traffic-free crossing over the A30 dual carriageway near Truro, UK. 

The 48m bridge, which opened last week, is designed to provide a safe passage for pedestrians, cyclists, and horse riders, enhancing local connectivity. 

Cornwall Council selected Costain for the project, which was supported by the final round of European Regional Development funding.  

The bridge aims to improve access to Royal Cornwall Hospital and promote active travel on Saint Trails, between Truro and St Agnes. 

Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for transport Richard Williams-Pears said: “The opening of the bridge represents a significant achievement for the teams working across multiple projects and funding streams to secure a legacy for Cornwall for generations to come.  

“It’s a great example of what can be achieved by partnership working between the council, National Highways and our delivery partner Costain.” 

The construction process is noted to have resulted in a 30% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions (CO₂) compared to the initial design, saving approximately 200 tonnes (t) of CO₂ equivalent. 

Additionally, the design changes have led to a nearly 220% biodiversity net gain by creating new habitats. 

The project included removing 18t of steel from the bridge design. 

Costain also used low-carbon cement for the bridge abutments and wing walls and managed to retain 107m³ of material on site during earthworks. 

Moreover, Costain repurposed byproducts from China Clay production, a material characteristic of South West England, as a substitute for primary aggregate.  

The project has achieved a Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology (BREEAM) Excellent rating. 

The bridge, which began construction last year, is a part of the wider walking, horse-riding, and cycling scheme, the Saints Trails. 

This comes after Costain revealed that the adoption of Maturix’s concrete sensor technology resulted in time and efficiency savings for its customers last month.