Campaigners calling for the reinstatement of the Aston to Burston Trail footbridge have welcomed news that Staffordshire County Council has identified funding to repair or replace the damaged structure. The announcement comes ahead of a community meet-up planned for Sunday, 6th April 2025, where residents will gather at the site to show support for the bridge’s return.
The bridge crossing on Sandon and Burston Public Footpath 36 was damaged by a fallen tree over a year ago, severing a well-used public right of way. Despite early contact with the council, no date has yet been given for when the bridge will be reinstated.
Council confirms funding secured
In a statement issued to A Little Bit of Stone, Darryl Eyers, Staffordshire County Council’s Director for Economy, Infrastructure and Skills, said:
“We understand the inconvenience caused by the temporary closure of the damaged footbridge on the Sandon and Burston Public Footpath 36, but keeping everyone safe must always take priority.
I am pleased to confirm that we have identified the funding to fix the bridge or, if necessary, replace the bridge altogether. Now, we have to work through a number of structural and ecological challenges so we can get the footbridge ready for safe use as soon as possible.
This includes making sure that any remedial work does not disturb protected wildlife and working with the landowner to determine how and when we can access the bridge to carry out the necessary repairs.
It is for the above reasons that we cannot yet provide a date of when the bridge can be reinstated, but please be assured that we will share an update as soon as we know.”
The statement offers cautious optimism for campaigners, who have been pressing for more visibility and communication around the council’s intentions.
Campaigners pressing for progress
Nigel Bowden, who is leading the local campaign, recently received further correspondence from the council’s Rights of Way team. While they acknowledged the importance of the route to the local community, they cited “significant costs,” storm damage elsewhere, and complex legal issues involving private land as reasons for the delay.
Speaking to A Little Bit of Stone, Nigel said:
“While I welcome the announcement that funding is available, we have received several previous assurances from the County Council that repair work is imminent.
After 17 months, it’s hard to understand why we haven’t moved beyond vague assurances and why repair work has not commenced.
In my opinion, people should factor the ineffectiveness of Staffordshire County Council on this issue into their voting decisions in the forthcoming County Council elections in May. Local people are really upset about this issue, and I think councillors have misjudged just how angry people are about the lack of action to restore their access to this much-loved local footpath.”
The upcoming meet-up aims to keep the issue in the public eye and show the level of local support for getting the path reopened.
Meet-up details
The community meet-up will take place at 11:00 am on Sunday, 6th April 2025, at the site of the damaged crossing.
Locals are encouraged to:
- Gather on either side of the footpath where the bridge once stood
- Share photos and posts on their own social media accounts to reach as many people as possible.
- Help highlight the importance of the route to walkers, families, dog owners and other footpath users
Join the conversation
Anyone interested in supporting the campaign or following the latest updates can search “Aston to Burston Trail Bridge” on Facebook to join the group and stay informed.
While the confirmation of funding marks an important step forward, residents say the path is still incomplete until boots can walk across the bridge once more.
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