Haverfordwest Footbridge & Western Quayside Phase 2 Project

Background

As part of the Haverfordwest Footbridge and Western Quayside Phase 2 project, a new pedestrian footbridge was commissioned in Haverfordwest to replace an existing structure that had reached the end of its service life. The new bridge forms an important  connection between Riverside and the emerging Western Quayside area, supporting improved access and facilities alongside wider public realm enhancements.

Given its location over the Western Cleddau, the lighting design formed a key part of the project brief. The client required a solution that would provide safe pedestrian access and appropriate illumination for the bridge and surrounding areas, while ensuring there was no excessive spill light onto the river.

The project was delivered for Pembrokeshire County  Council by Walters UK, as part of a wider programme of public realm and infrastructure improvements.

Solution

TRT Lighting became involved following an initial meeting with Pembrokeshire County Council, originally to discuss the use of the DarkSky approved Oaken luminaire. The Oaken luminaire has been developed with a strong focus on circularity and embodied carbon reduction. It achieves a TM66 score of 3.1 under the LIA/CIBSE TSD-012 scheme, the highest published score for a luminaire assessed to date. During this meeting, the project manager shared drawings that included illuminated handrails, allowing TRT  to propose a coordinated lighting solution and develop a lighting design for the wider scheme.

Illuminated handrails were installed across the bridge using Altura Midi LED modules, providing light along the pedestrian route. Standard modules were used in most  areas, with a bespoke fixing bracket developed for the bridge to complement the structural requirements of the scheme.

A bespoke under-bench lighting solution was also developed for the scheme.

Ten Oaken 12 LED luminaires were supplied, each rated at 6W with a GA2 optic and 2700K colour temperature. These fittings were installed using side-entry mounting and PIR detection, operating at 50% output as standard, increasing to 100% on activation and dimming to 10% after ten minutes. The aluminium base  was finished in anthracite grey (RAL 7016) to integrate with the surrounding public realm.

Additional lighting was provided using Orbix 360 luminaires in an eyelid configuration, finished in graphite and delivering 3000K output. These fittings were supplied  with Lumi-LinQ to support flexible control while helping to limit obtrusive light.

Outcome

Across the scheme, warm colour temperatures, controlled optics and intelligent dimming were used to deliver light where required, supporting safe access while avoiding unnecessary spill onto the river environment.

The lighting solution for the Haverfordwest Footbridge needed to provide safe and effective illumination without impacting the river habitat. TRT Lighting worked closely with the project team to develop an integrated approach, combining handrail lighting and low-level luminaires to meet both functional and environmental requirements. The result is a well-considered scheme that supports pedestrian use while respecting the surrounding setting.

Richard Symonds MEP Construction Manager – Pembrokeshire County Council

This was a scheme where the detail really mattered. The bridge structure and riverside setting meant there was very little room for compromise on how the lighting was integrated. TRT were good to work with, particularly around the bespoke handrail  fixings and coordination of the different lighting elements. The end result is a scheme that was straightforward to deliver on site and achieves the required lighting levels without introducing unnecessary spill into the surrounding environment.

Thomas Morris Project Manager – Walters UK