更新提供Taplow Footb贝瑞希尔ridge following removal of central section

An update has been provided on the progress of replacing a section of a Taplow footbridge which has been closed to the public for more than two years.

The Berry Hill Footbridge, situated near Taplow Riverside Park, runs over the Jubilee River and is part of the Thames Path.

The footbridge has been closed to the public since May 2021 due to ‘structurally-critical timber sections’ of it ‘deteriorating beyond repair’.

根据白金汉郡有限公司文件uncil Local Access Forum in July 2022, the 37-metre mid-section of the footbridge was removed in December 2021.

In a case study on its website, contractor Topbond, which removed the central section of the footbridge, stated that ‘a lower cord has failed’ and the bridge ‘was closed to the public due its dangerous condition’.

The company added: “The bridge was monitored on a regular basis by Topbond and it was found that the structure was becoming progressively more unstable and as such needed to be removed as soon as possible to avoid the structure collapsing into the watercourse.”

The council said that it has a legal duty to provide a replacement structure and has revealed that it will be working with its consultants Atkins to ‘commission delivery of a replacement for the missing mid-section early next year’.

At a meeting of the Royal Borough’s Flood Liaison Group earlier this month, Cllr Ewan Larcombe (National Flood Prevention Party, Datchet, Horton and Wraysbury) raised questions over the footbridge, including how much it had cost to remove the mid-section and who paid for it.

Buckinghamshire Council has said it paid for the removal of the mid-section at a cost of approximately £100,000 (including a specialised lifting cradle).

A council spokesperson added that the cost of the replacement will be subject to a tender which has not been awarded yet.

Steven Broadbent, Buckinghamshire Council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “The Berry Hill Footbridge in Taplow is currently closed to the public as structurally-critical timber sections of it had deteriorated beyond repair.

“After working with contractors, partners and stakeholders to plan the replacement of the central span, our crews have now successfully and safely removed the failed section of the bridge.

“We plan to replace the section which has been removed and bring the footbridge back into operation as soon as possible.

“We’ve secured the funding for this work and we're now in the process of going out to tender.”