Friday November 13, 2026
Walter’s Walkway has reopened to the public, restoring an important link between Darley Village and the historic Derwent Valley Mills complex.
The bridge reopened well ahead of the scheduled date of February 2027, allowing people to cross the river at Darley Village for the first time since December 2025.
Residents joined Councillor Carmel Swan, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport, and Sustainability, for the ribbon cutting. She said:
I’m thrilled that we can once again walk between Darley Village and Darley Abbey Mills. This ward – my ward – has waiting a long time for this connection to be reopened and I’m delighted that I can celebrate with the local community today. Thank you to everyone for your patience throughout this complex situation. With Walter’s Walkway now back in place, we can look ahead to the next stage of our plans for a permanent bridge.”
COUNCILLOR CARMEL SWAN
CABINET MEMBER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE, TRANSPORT, AND SUSTAINABILITY
Joining residents at the reopening were local ward councillors Martin Repton and Alison Martin, MPs Catherine Atkinson and Baggy Shanker, and East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward.
The work to reinstate the bridge has been supported by funding from the East Midlands Combined County Authority. On the day the bridge reopened, Mayor Ward said:
Walter’s Walkway is an important link for Darley Abbey, so it’s great to see it reopened four months ahead of schedule. This shows what we can achieve when local and regional government work together in the interests of our places.
The closure has been incredibly frustrating for people who live locally, and has had a serious impact on the businesses based in Darley Abbey Mills. Now that the connection has been re-established, I would encourage people to get back into the habit of visiting them and spending money in the run up to Christmas.
In the meantime, I will continue to support Derby City Council and Darley Abbey as they develop a permanent solution.”
MAYOR WARD
The demolition of the original bridge, and swift reinstatement of Walter’s Walkway, were carried out by specialist contractor Cawarden. Malcolm Lowes, Director at Cawarden, said:
We’re delighted to see Walter’s Walkway back in place and open to the public once again.
We’d like to thank the incredible community for their patience and support throughout the works, alongside Derby City Council and all project partners whose collaboration helped make this achievement possible.
This was a complex scheme requiring careful planning and specialist expertise, and we’re proud to have delivered it safely and ahead of schedule. As a Derbyshire business for over 40 years, it has been a privilege to act as the local specialist contractor, playing our part in reopening this important link and reconnecting communities.”
MALCOLM LOWES
DIRECTOR – CAWARDEN
The prefabricated bridge was initially closed in December 2025 due to safety concerns with the old Mills bridge structure that sat below it.
In July 2026, the walkway was lifted from the river entirely, to allow for the complete demolition of the original bridge, which could only take place once the Council took ownership and the site made safe for a large crane.
The riverbank was then strengthened using new steel sheet piles and reinforced foundations. This work also included a new concrete abutment providing a sturdy foundation for Walter’s Walkway. Once this work was complete, Walter’s Walkway was lifted back into place in October 2026.
The ribbon was cut by local residents, with Cllr Carmel Swan and representatives from Derby City Council and Cawarden.