Bonds Mill Lift Bridge is a finalist in the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) South West People’s Choice Award, a public vote recognising civil engineering projects that make a positive difference to local communities.
The bridge, on the Stroudwater canal, marks another key milestone in the restoration of the Cotswold canals, reinstating navigation at Bonds Mill using a single‑beam lifting arm.
The first boats to pass under the new structure belonged to Cotswold Boatmobility, the local charity providing accessible boat trips for people who might otherwise struggle to enjoy being on the water.
Their passage helped demonstrate how the restored canal can open up new opportunities for community use and inclusive leisure.
The nomination follows success for the canal partnership in 2022, when the Ocean Jubilee Railway Bridge project was voted People’s Choice Award winner, and partners hope local backing can secure a second win.
Stroud District Council leader Cllr Chloe Turner said she was ‘delighted’ the bridge had been recognised, calling it ‘a fantastic example of engineering excellence, partnership working and our shared commitment to restoring our historic waterways while protecting wildlife’.
She said every vote would help showcase the progress being made to restore the canal and the benefits it is bringing to the community.
The new lift bridge replaces the previous structure at Bonds Mill and was built with businesses and canal users in mind. Access to the Bonds Mill estate and towpath remained open throughout construction, keeping disruption to a minimum.
The project was also carefully designed to protect the local environment, with the canal kept full of water during the works to safeguard established habitats and wildlife, historic features such as the canal‑side pillbox preserved, and parts of the original foundations reused to cut waste.
Bonds Mill Lift Bridge is one of 12 shortlisted projects across the south west competing for the public vote.
People can vote online via the ICE South West People’s Choice Award page until 5pm on Friday, August 28.
