Lune Millennium Bridge’s iconic Lune Millennium Bridge has turned 25 this month – and the milestone is being marked with a series of community activities and revitalisation works to celebrate the bridge’s heritage and its place as one of the city’s most popular walking and cycling routes.
The landmark structure, which opened in February 2001, is the largest element of the River Lune Millennium Park project – an initiative created as part of national celebrations to welcome the year 2000.
Last Friday, (13th February 2026), pupils from Grosvenor Park School helped to launch the anniversary celebrations. They joined council officers to learn about local wildlife and ecology before rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck into litter picking and planting spring and summer bulbs along the route.
Improvements are also underway around the bridge, thanks to funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), which replaced European Union funding for certain projects, including new lighting, cleaning the river bed from debris, weeding and vegetation trimming and seating improvements to create a more welcoming entrance into the city centre from the well‑used quayside cycle path, encourage active travel, and help residents and visitors discover the area’s rich and sometimes overlooked heritage.
Councillor Caroline Jackson, leader of Lancaster City Council, said: “A practical connection between city centre, quay and those living across the Lune, the bridge has since become a vital active‑travel link and an iconic part of Lancaster’s skyline.
“This anniversary project is a chance to improve the space for today’s users – whether they’re travelling to work, walking with family, or discovering the area’s industrial and maritime heritage.
“We’re delighted that schools, volunteers and community groups want to get onboard to help revitalise the popular quayside route and ensure it remains a safe, attractive and welcoming space for years to come.”
Did You Know? The Millennium Bridge was originally was lit, the work of Robt. Briggs & Son, who did the lighting installation. Sadly, it didn’t take long for local vandals to trash the lighting, and although they were fixed, reinstalled they were trashed again, so the bridge remained with access lighting only over the walkway.
The Old Bridge
The Millennium Bridge gave the public another access across the River Lune for the first time in around 200 years.
The design of the bridge reflects the masts of the ships which were once docked on St Georges Quay, when it was used as a port.
The new bridge was constructed around the site of the “old” bridge of Lancaster, first recorded in 1215, giving Lancaster a main link to the North.
When rebuilding one archway of the old bridge towards the Skerton side of the river after it was damaged by the Jacobite’s in 1715, a collection of brass coins were found under the foundations. At the time of the discovery, the bridge was believed to be of Danish origins.
The bridge soon became abandoned and was to fall to ruins without repairs after the “new bridge” – Skerton Bridge – was built in 1787.
The North side of the bridge was to fall first, after John Brockbank of the Brockbank shipbuilding company (now the site of Sainsbury’s, itself previously the site of a rail yard, which became New Planet City) bought the bridge in the August of 1802, leaving the rest of the structure dilapidated in the river.
“John Brockbank’s idea of removing the arch, was to permit his ships to launch from his yard to the Quay with their masts still standing rather than adding them after sailing past the bridge,” Lancaster City Council notes.
The last day the public would walk across the bridge was on 9th August 1802, with the last arch of the bridge falling on 28th December 1845.
Almost two centuries later though, some traces do remain. If you look over the side while crossing the Millennium Bridge, you might be able to make out some of the foundation stones embedded in the mud.
The Millennium Bridge, which opened in February 2001, is the largest element of the River Lune Millennium Park project – an initiative created as part of national celebrations to welcome the year 2000.