Bridge over River Irwell connecting Salford and Manchester finally reopens after six year wait

A key connection between the cities of Manchester and Salford has been reinstated after a six year closure.

Prince's Bridge officially reopened on Thursday (June 29) as a pedestrian and cycle connection over the Irwell from Salford to the new Aviva Studios in Manchester, home of Factory International, the city's new pioneering arts venue. This came on the same day the Manchester International Festival (MIF), with the bridge providing an easy route for visitors to attend.

The bridge runs under the Ordsall Chord railway bridge which was built between 2015 and 2017. Network Rail has spent £12million to build this new footbridge, which replaces the former Prince's Bridge which was demolished in 2015 for the Ordsall Chord to be built.

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Despite the Ordsall Chord being completed in 2017, Prince's Bridge has remained closed during this time due to construction work on either side of the bridge. This includes Aviva Studios on the Manchester side and flats on the Salford side, cutting off a major link from the footpath along the Irwell from Salford into Manchester City Centre.

The bridge was opened with a ceremony including Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett, Leader of Manchester City Council, Bev Craig and Jill Stephenson, Principal Development Manager at Network Rail. They say the bridge forms part of plans for a wider sustainable travel route through Salford and Manchester.

This aims to create better links between Salford, especially Salford University and Middlewood Locks, to Castlefield, and the rest of Manchester City Centre.

Jill Stephenson, Network Rail principal development manager, said: "It’s great to see this footbridge