The bridge has been deemed unsafe to use
Footbridge could remain closed for months after rotten timber found(Image: South Gloucestershire Council )
A footbridge in South Gloucestershire has been closed after an investigation found the timber was rotten and not safe to use.
The bridge in Webbs Wood is between the Bluebells and Three Brooks Walk, near Bradley Stoke Way and was closed for emergency works on Wednesday, April 9.
The investigation team removed the anti-slip sheets on the top of the footbridge to reveal rotten wood underneath.
The bridge was pictured with some damage and holes through its wood base.
South Gloucestershire Council is unsure how long the footbridge will be closed for as they need to assess the full extent of the damage.
A council spokesperson said: “The footbridge has been closed following an inspection which found that the timber deck planks and some of the supporting structure was rotten.
“We closed the bridge for safety reasons as soon as we discovered the rotten elements.
“We will be carrying out further investigations to see how much of the timber structure is also rotten. This will allow us to make a decision on whether the bridge can be repaired or whether it is preferable to fully replace the bridge.
“If we can repair the bridge, we hope to complete the work during the summer. If a full replacement is required, we anticipate it will be complete by the end of the year.”
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The Bradley Stoke community have had varying responses to the work. One person on Facebook said: “Pleased to read this, it’s felt very wonky the last couple of weeks.”
Another person commented on Facebook: “Hardly surprising when you cover over timber with a solid sheet of non-slip plastic and trap water underneath.”
Someone else added: “Came as a bit of a shock at 5:30am cycling to work. Though that bridge has felt really dodgy for ages.”
The bridge will be closed to pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians until at least October 8, after which a full closure order will be put in place for the remainder of the work.