Sand lizards spotted on heathland bridge

Wildlife including sand lizards, deer and badgers are using a new crossing linking two protected heathland sites near Cobham, in Surrey.

Sand lizards have been spotted on a heathland bridge over the A3, which has reconnected two key wildlife sites for the first time in decades.

The crossing opened over the bank holiday weekend, and National Highways said that reptiles, deer and badgers were already using it.

The £3.7m Cockrow Bridge provides a link between Wisley Common and Ockham Common, near Cobham, which are both protected heathland areas, and provides access to Surrey Wildlife Trust's headquarters.

Project manager Jonathan Wade said that the structure, which is 223ft (68m) in length, was the UK's first heathland bridge.

Wade said that engineers, who worked with experts from the Royal Horticultural Society and Painshill Park, took turf from the commons and laid it on the bridge in November and December.

"That's been settling down over the last three or four months and we've gradually seen wildlife on the bridge," he said.

As well as creating a route for animals, the bridge includes a path for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders, offering a link between areas including Ripley and Painshill.

It has replaced a pedestrian bridge built in the 1980s which did not connect wildlife habitats after the A3 divided the commons in the 1970s.

Engineers also used surplus sand from M25 widening work to build up land leading on to the bridge, with cameras monitoring how it is used.

Three universities have stepped up to monitor how the 30m-wide (98ft) bridge performs in real life.

The crossing forms part of wider improvement works at junction 10 of the M25, which are nearing completion.

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