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# MPs join county council bid to secure funding for historic bridge
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/mps-join-county-council-bid-to-secure-funding-for-historic-bridge/
- Published: 2026-07-15T07:00:46.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-15T07:00:45.000Z
- Description: Hopes new Structures Fund will help cover £27million cost of preserving Chetwynd Bridge.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: News, Politics

LOCAL MPs have joined council chiefs in calling for funding to preserve an historic bridge near Alrewas.

The Grade II\* listed Chetwynd Bridge is being put forward for cash from the Government's Structures Fund by Staffordshire County Council.

The scheme is designed to provide additional cash to help authorities fix key structures in their areas.

The county council says plans for the bridge will cost £27million. They have also highlighted its role as a "gateway" to the National Memorial Arboretum.

Local MPs have backed the bid to safeguard the structure for the future.

Cllr Peter Mason, Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member for strategic highways, said:

> "It’s really pleasing to see local MPs putting their full weight behind our bid for Chetwynd Bridge.  
>  
> "With our feasibility study completed, plus the modelling we have had done for what the new structure will look like, we believe we have a very strong bid to submit in August.  
>  
> "This scheme represents a vital investment in both infrastructure and heritage, ensuring safe and reliable access to the arboretum and supporting the wider local and regional economy.  
>  
> "We believe it aligns with national priorities around infrastructure renewal, heritage preservation, and support for places of national significance."

Dave Robertson, MP for Lichfield, said the need to preserve the "vital local crossing" was key.

He added:

> "The launch of the Government's new Structures Fund is excellent news for our area.  
>  
> "Chetwynd Bridge is a vital local crossing and the largest cast iron bridge in the country – and it is imperative that it is urgently replaced to ensure it is fit for the 21st century.  
>  
> "I’m pleased that, following discussions I held alongside fellow MPs with Department for Transport ministers, the fund will enable councils to seek funding for replacement bridges, including a much-needed replacement for Chetwynd Bridge.  
>  
> "I will continue working with local partners to make the strongest possible case for this investment."

Tamworth MP Sarah Edwards added:

> "This piece of local infrastructure is vital to both our local logistics and farming communities.  
>  
> "Restoring it would unlock the local economy by removing burdensome extra costs. It would also provide a vital route to alleviate the impact of local flooding which isolates rural communities."

The final bid for Chetwynd Bridge will be submitted to the fund in early August.