UK’s First Heathland Green Bridge Set to Open in Surrey

A pioneering green bridge designed to reconnect rare habitats and support wildlife is set to open next month over the A3 in Surrey.

Cockrow Bridge, near Cobham, has been developed by National Highways at a cost of £3.7m and will span 68 metres across the busy road. Uniquely, it has been created to support lowland heathland—one of the UK’s rarest natural habitats—making it the first structure of its kind in the country.

The bridge links Ockham Common and Wisley Common, areas that have been separated since the A3 was constructed in the 1970s. Covered in heather and other native vegetation, it is designed to provide a safe crossing for wildlife including snakes, toads and badgers, while also accommodating pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.

At 30 metres wide, the structure has been carefully designed to blend into the surrounding landscape and encourage biodiversity by restoring connections between fragmented habitats.

Steve Elderkin, Director of Environmental Sustainability at National Highways, said roads can often act as barriers to nature, dividing ecosystems and contributing to biodiversity loss. He explained that green bridges like this are intended to reconnect habitats and create long-term environmental benefits alongside transport infrastructure.

The new crossing replaces an older pedestrian bridge built in the 1980s, which did not support wildlife movement.

While green bridges have been used internationally for decades—particularly in countries such as France and the Netherlands—they are becoming increasingly common in the UK as part of efforts to make infrastructure more environmentally sustainable. Similar wildlife-friendly crossings already exist on routes including the A556, A30 and A21.

National Highways hopes the project will help local species thrive while demonstrating how transport schemes can better integrate with the natural environment.