Footbridges That Work: Specifying Practical, Compliant Structures

This CPD covers how to specify footbridges that work on site, meet access and compliance requirements and suit their landscape context.

Using Bison bridge solutions as examples, it focuses on making confident, buildable decisions from concept to delivery.

Footbridges tend to look simple on paper. In practice, the success of a bridge often comes down to the choices made long before anything reaches site. This CPD focuses on those decisions, with an emphasis on materials, compliance, and how a bridge is actually installed.

The session looks at commonly used materials such as precast concrete and steel, and why those choices matter. Durability, maintenance demands, loading performance, and long-term reliability are all shaped by material selection. Parapets, deck finishes, and protective coatings are covered in practical terms, linking specification back to real standards and approval requirements.

Installation is treated as a design issue, not a last-minute problem. The CPD explores different installation approaches, from single-lift crane installs to modular assemblies, and how early planning can cut site time and reduce risk. It also addresses transport constraints, ground conditions, and the value of repeatable, proven systems.

Bison footbridge solutions are used as reference points rather than prescriptions, showing how standard components can still allow flexibility while keeping projects buildable. The discussion follows the bridge from manufacture through delivery and final placement.

The aim is to help specifiers avoid overcomplication, understand where things commonly go wrong, and make choices that hold up under site pressure. By the end, attendees should feel more confident specifying footbridges that comply, install cleanly, and perform as expected.