A NEW footbridge has been erected in Newchurch — and it's made from thousands of plastic bottles.

STRUCTeam, the Cowes based composite engineering consultancy, and Apex Composite Structures, a Ryde based bespoke composite manufacturer, worked in partnership to design and engineer the 12.5m bridge.

Scroll down for videos of the installation 

The structure provides pedestrian access through Newchurch, meaning walkers no longer need to navigate the narrow and busy stretch of road through the village.

Newchurch Parish Council commissioned the bridge and were seeking an economical and robust crossing solution for this section of ‘Norah’s Way’ – a dedicated rights of way footpath, opened in 2019 by Norah Boswell’s family in her memory.

Isle of Wight County Press:

STRUCTeam and Apex’s engineers specified lightweight materials and sustainable manufacturing methods wherever possible to allow for efficient production, easy transportation, and rapid installation.

It is estimated the composite bridge will need very minimal upkeep and will not need to be replaced for 100 years.

The bridge’s foam core is made from 30,000 reprocessed plastic bottles.

George Downer, company director of Apex Composite Structures, said: “By selecting plastic bottles over the other options available, we have achieved a 33 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions.”

George’s father, Mark Downer, designed and built the first prototype bridge for a Network Rail initiative.

Jon Evans, STRUCTeam’s composite design engineer, said: "Since our formation in 2010, we have delivered bridges, canopies and facades for many high-profile architectural designs.

"However, it is a privilege to work on a project closer to home that will directly benefit the community and support other Island businesses.”

  • The main road through the village has had to close for three weeks while further works are carried out to the bridge.