FOR a moment, it looked as if it might just be a bridge too long.

York’s first new public bridge in a decade had been painstakingly swung by a crane into position over the River Foss.

But as the 29-tonne structure was lowered on to concrete bases on the banks at Hungate and Navigation Road yesterday lunchtime, it appeared at first that it didn’t quite fit – and an engineer even jumped on the structure briefly, apparently to help it into place.

Then, to the applause of onlookers, the stylish steel bridge suddenly popped into position – as snug as a bug in the proverbial rug – and it was clear that this was another example of British engineering at its precise best.

The foot and cycle bridge has been installed by S H Structure, of Sherburn-in-Elmet, as part of the £150 million Hungate development by Hungate (York) Regeneration Ltd, and will be handed over to City of York Council this autumn.

The 26-metre long structure, which is more than five metres wide, has been fitted with stainless steel balustrades and distinctive timber decking.

Hungate project manager Ian Shepherd said it was a striking addition to the landscape and thanked Lumsden & Carroll who constructed the foundations to a special design which would have minimum impact on the riverbank and to S H Structures “for constructing the bridge so skilfully”.

He said the next step was to construct an access ramp and stairs on the southern bank. “Once that is in place and the bank around it landscaped, the bridge will be ready to provide another easily accessible pedestrian and cycle route in and out of the city.”

Niki Turner, sales and marketing director for Hungate, said that having such a bridge to connect the development to neighbouring communities underlined its environmentally friendly nature.