UPDATE 5.10.17 - The Council have told me a temporary footway will be installed by the 16th October.
I have been receiving many complaints about the closure of Ashcombe Road bridge and a lack of information from the Labour Council.
I know from my own experience how disruptive this has been, especially now there is no pedestrian access.
I asked the Council for an update, and please find below their response.
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We are undertaking essential engineering work to strengthen Ashcombe Road bridge. Unfortunately, while carrying out the excavation works, we found live electricity, gas and water mains services which were not previously identified by the utilities companies’ asset information that was submitted to the council and this has inevitably delayed our works.
These services have to be cut and capped or diverted by the utility companies themselves to make the site safe and before our works can continue. The safety of our residents is very important and we recognise that this is a busy route for school children too. With exposed utility cables, the site is therefore unsafe for pedestrians to be very close to these works so we have had to restrict pedestrian access in this area.
We hope to complete the bridge strengthening works as early and as safely as possible and I would like to take this opportunity to apologise for the inconvenience that residents are experiencing within the area.
At this stage of the works, I can assure you we are doing everything possible for this to happen as soon as possible. However we are unable to give you a definite date for the reopening of the footway and carriageway until the utilities companies have carried out their safety works. You will not see council contractors working on the site for the same reasons; however we will be back as soon as the utilities companies have carried out their works.
We have installed additional signage at the end of all roads leading to Ashcombe Road Bridge so people do not have to make a trip until the closure point and then find out about the footway closure. These signs will be updated weekly to inform pedestrians of the likely date when the footway will reopen.
Once again, I apologise for this unexpected occurrence and please be assured we are doing everything we can to support the utilities companies on progressing works as soon as possible.