Calls for footbridge link to £27m Ludlow hospital

Calls have been made to build a footbridge over the A49 in Ludlow amid concerns that people living in the centre of town won't have easy access to the proposed £27 million hospital.

Ludlow MP Philip Dunne, town doctors and some residents say if the hospital is built on Ludlow Eco Park east of the A49, pedestrians would struggle to reach it on foot. Dr Graham Cook, of Station Drive surgery, suggested the bridge idea last week.

He was speaking at a meeting organised by the Save a Ludlow Town Surgery (Salt) group.

Mr Cook asked Salts to stop fighting plans to move both GP surgeries out of the centre of Ludlow to the new hospital and instead help them improve transport links to the development.

He said: "I appreciate the new hospital is a bit of a walk from the town but there will be better transport links. We could maybe have a footbridge across the A49. Bridges cost money but we could ask."

Mr Dunne said as well as the hospital development, an extra 200 homes could soon be developed in Rocks Green, south of the A4117 and close to the A49 Ludlow bypass, under plans by Shropshire Council.

A further seven hectares of land at Ludlow Eco Park is also expected to be made available for employment use.

Mr Dunne believes as the town expands a number of different alternatives should be discussed which would give pedestrians in the centre of

Ludlow better access to the hospital and those living east of the A49 a simpler walking route into town.

He said: "Building a footbridge over the A49 would be expensive but is something which could be discussed in the future."

It is expected some measures will be brought in to help cyclists and walkers cross the A49 if the building work goes ahead.