We were delighted to welcome Angela Rayner MP to Park Bridge, where she met with members of Park Bridge Residents’ Action Group & Fund to discuss and learn more about our nationally significant industrial heritage, ongoing road safety concerns, and the role of community groups in protecting places of local and national importance.
The visit included a walk around key sites across Park Bridge, the former ironworks settlement whose internationally significant role in the early industrial revolution remains embedded in its landscape today.
From historic industrial features to the surrounding natural environment, the visit highlighted why Park Bridge is such a unique and important place.
Despite this significance, residents shared how Park Bridge has experienced long-term disinvestment following local government cuts since 2010.
As a result, important historic assets, including the former stables which houses the closed Park Bridge Heritage Centre, have been left vulnerable to decline.
Our group continues to campaign to ensure the Heritage Centre remains a protected community asset and is not sold into private ownership.
Road safety was also a key focus of the visit. The road running through Park Bridge has been the site of multiple serious incidents, including a tragic fatality that remains under police investigation.
Residents explained the day-to-day risks faced by those who live in and visit the area, as well as the dangers for vulnerable road users.
The visit also provided an opportunity to discuss the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, which Ms Rayner is leading.
We welcomed the chance to explore what the legislation could mean for voluntary community groups like ours, and for places such as Park Bridge.
Angela Rayner MP said: “It was great to meet with the Park Bridge Residents’ Action Group & Fund to discuss road safety issues and their ongoing mission to protect the heritage of this beautiful area of my constituency.
“Their dedication to ensuring their community continues to thrive is commendable.”
A spokesperson for the Park Bridge Residents’ Action Group & Fund added: “We were delighted to welcome our local MP, Angela Rayner to Park Bridge and show her first-hand why this area of nationally significant industrial heritage matters, not just to those who live and visit here, but for future generations.
“Our community is organised, constructive and determined to protect Park Bridge’s heritage, environment and safety for everyone.
“Ms Rayner has been a fantastic supporter of our campaign to save the Park Bridge Heritage Centre from private sale, and backs our calls for improved road safety measures, and we are very thankful for her ongoing support.
“The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, which she is leading on, is an exciting opportunity for community groups like ours, and we are hopeful that it will bring greater support and new ways to protect areas like Park Bridge. While empowering communities is a huge positive step in the right direction, it must not allow local authorities to diminish their statutory responsibilities to safeguard community assets.”