The £3.7 million green bridge spans the A3 near Cobham and reconnects two valuable and rare heathland areas. Funded by National Highways, the 68-metre-long Cockrow Bridge is covered in heather, and will offer a safe crossing point for wildlife and people between Ockham Common and Wisley Common.
The green bridge, which is 30-metres wide and also includes a path for pedestrians, horse riders and cyclists, is the first of its kind in Britain to support lowland heathland habitats, one of the country’s rarest habitat types.
It replaces a pedestrian bridge, which was built in the 1980s, and provided no connectivity for wildlife in the two separate heathland plots, which have been divided since the 1970s when the A3 was built.
It is hoped the new bridge will help the wildlife on the commons to flourish, including nightjar and Dartford warbler, rare birds which rely on the heathlands to breed, as well as grass snakes, adders, badger, bats and toads.
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