Mind the gap!

To all regular walkers/ dog walkers

if you take the Thames Path loop from the bottom of the Mill Lane (under the railway bridge) along the river bank and back around to the old Methodist Chapel (off Mill Road) you'll know there are issues with 2 footbridges. 

One got so rotten they removed it last year (close to being opposite the Wargrave Sailing Club). I met with the Oxfordshire County Council footpaths team 2 weeks ago and it's apparently now made and sitting waiting to be installed in September. 

The larger bridge (close to the old Lashbrook crossing) is also very rotten and now some of the planks have started failing. I am concerned someone will have a bad accident / trip/ fall through at some point. The replacement bridge is also made and ready to be installed but not until September. I have raised it again today with OCC and requested to either accelerate the new bridge installation or patch up the current one again (as they did last year).  

In the meantime please take care!!! and when all the GCSE and A level students start heading down to the river over the coming days/ weeks after exams, if they are one of yours please ask them to take care while they are balancing their beer crates on their heads :-)

Worst case scenario would be the OCC close down the path, which I am really hoping can be avoided.

(P.S. as an aside I have also asked OCC if they can send in some teams to mow that section of the Thames Path which is very overgrown after all the wet weather recently). 

many thx
Roger  

(in my capacity as Chiltern Society path rep for Shiplake parish, in case you were wondering!)

Posted by: Roger Smith | 14/06/2024 8:58 am

Good news, I am told both bridges referred to in the earlier thread (near the old Lashbrook crossing) are due to be replaced this week or next. (A 3 year ongoing dialogue to get this done!) It does mean the council will temporarily have to close the footpath (what i refer to as the river loop) - but at least we will finally have 2 new safe and secure footbridges. Thx Roger

Posted by: Roger Smith | 12/08/2024 9:57 pm

Never mind the gap! Quick update, the bridge referred to in the prior post (near the old Lashbrook ferry crossing) was repaired this week by the Council (temporarily) at least to make it safe until the new bridge is installed in the Autumn. They are also trying to plan a date to come and cut back the vegetation on the footpath along the river from the old crossing (opposite the Wargrave Sailing Club) all the way to the railway bridge at the end of Mill Lane. Fingers crossed. thx Roger.

Posted by: Roger Smith | 21/06/2024 8:26 am

Thankyou for this Roger.

Posted by: Christine Atkinson | 18/06/2024 8:14 am