What is being claimed as the world’s first 3D printed bike bridge opened in Gemert, a small town in Noord-Brabant province on Tuesday morning, the AD reported.

Work began on printing the eight-metre long concrete bridge in June and the construction was lowered into position in September.

The bridge, printed in 1cm layers of concrete, is a joint production between students at Eindhoven University of Technology and construction group BAM Infra.

‘With 3D printing, you have more flexibility regarding the shape of the product,’ BAM director Marinus Schimmel said at the start of the project. ‘In addition, 3D printing a bridge is also incredibly efficient.. you need less concrete and there are no CO2 emissions’

The bike bridge is part of a new road project linking the N605 with the N272.