York's Millennium Bridge project has won a massive cash boost from city insurance giant CGU.

The company's life finance director Mike Urmston presented a cheque for £129,870 yesterday to Sir Donald Barron, chairman of the Millennium Bridge Trust.

The partnership funding was originally promised by General Accident as the trust bid for lottery money towards the scheme from the Millennium Commission.

Now CGU, formed earlier this year through the merger of General Accident and Commercial Union, has kept the promise.

The £4.4 million scheme for a foot and cycle bridge over the River Ouse, between Rowntree Park and New Walk, will also get £2.2 million from the commission. Other grants include £500,000 from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and £1.1 million from City of York Council, plus major donations from Shepherd Construction and Persimmon Homes.

Sir Donald said during yesterday's presentation at the insurance company's riverside HQ: "We are most grateful for this most wonderful donation. It's a great addition to the resources of the trust. "

He said a planning application for the bridge was due to be considered by planners next month, with construction due to begin in 1999 and completion by the middle of 2000.

Mr Urmston said: "General Accident wanted to make a contribution to the Millennium and wanted to make a contribution to York, and this is the ideal thing for York, particularly as an improvement to the environment.

"The centre of York is clogged up and this is one way of doing something about it."

He said many CGU staff came to work by bike, and he expected some would use the bridge on their daily journey to work from 2000.

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