Nottingham City Council has drawn up plans with charity Sustrans for a single span bridge over the River Trent to link a number of cycle routes.

The bridge project, which would link Clifton and Beeston near Beeston Lock, would cost about �2m to build.

Nottingham City's transport manager Stewart Thompson said cost would be split between the two partners.

Crime fears

"We have been successful with Sustrans in negotiating an entry into their programme," Mr Thompson said.

"If they are successful in securing a lottery grant, they will put �1m of their own money into the project and we would have to put a funding package together for the rest of the costs."

Speaking in response to fears voiced by some local residents that the bridge would attract troublemakers, Mr Stewart said extra measures, such as CCTV, had been added to the designs to limit damage.

"It is wrong to characterise one side of the river as having a particular level of crime," he added.

Work is not expected to start until 2008 once planning permission has been sought from Broxtowe Borough Council and Nottingham City Council.