Temple Footbridge: River Thames walkers face ‘dangerous’ diversion due to closure

The closure of a River Thames crossing between Hurley and Marlow has left walkers facing a ‘dangerous’ diversion onto a 60mph road, a meeting heard yesterday (July 22).

Temple Footbridge has been cordoned off since Environment Agency (EA) surveyors determined it had ‘deteriorated faster than expected’ in May, 2023.

The indefinite closure means walkers on the Thames Path are diverted along Temple Lane, to cross the river at Marlow Bridge.

But at a meeting of Windsor and Maidenhead council's Local Access Forum yesterday (Monday), Bisham parish councillor Alan Keene said this change was ‘unsuitable’ and ‘very unsafe’.

“We’ve made representations to the council (RBWM) about this,” he added. “The traffic officer I believe completely agrees with us that it’s very unsafe.

“It’s a very narrow lane with a 60-mile-an-hour limit with no footpath and it’s completely unsuitable for pedestrians, some of whom have already come into contact with fast-moving traffic.”

Cllr Keene said this view was echoed by Bisham Parish Council as a whole and stressed fixing the diversion was of ‘urgent’ concern.

In response, meeting chair and Hurley parish councillor Geoff Priest said he would write to EA chief engineer Peter Collins.

“I will undertake to write again to Mr Collins, highlighting more about – rather than getting the bridge sorted – more about the effect it’s having on diverted footpaths and the danger and the risk involved to residents,” he said.

A stretch of Temple Lane (Photo: Google)

A ‘disappointing’ update on the forum’s latest EA correspondence, however, will have offered little hope for a quick fix.

The last meeting in November resolved to write to two agency representatives, outlining concerns over repair times to the bridge and asking for updates.

The Environment Agency responded that survey works had not yet been completed; to allow it to determine a timeline or cost for repairs – or whether a replacement bridge was needed, Cllr Priest said.

He added: “I was a bit disappointed that he [Mr Collins] wasn’t prepared to issue just the odd communication to the LAF on what’s happening, given the rights of way affected by the closure.

“It’s is just a case of looking at their website to see if you can find out what progress has been made.

“So unfortunately, that is the position we are in at this stage.”

Cllr Keene said the agency’s ‘reluctance’ to issue updates was likely due to a focus on its other priorities.  

“I think you’re probably right,” Cllr Priest replied. “The impression from the email I got was that this was just a job that we’ll get to when we’re able to basically.”

Although no fix seems on the horizon, the meeting did receive an update on survey works from LAF secretary Jacqui Wheeler.

Ms Wheeler said EA surveyors were planning to release results from tests on Temple Footbridge, along with a ‘repair scope’ by the end of July.

“That’s what we’ve been told so far,” she added. “So there may be some news soon.”