Ecology checks and bridge recovery planned ahead of hoped-for reinstatement by end of year
There’s finally movement on the long-awaited repair of the Aston to Burston footbridge, with Staffordshire County Council confirming that on-site works are due to begin in May.
Following the early April community meet-up and sustained local campaigning, Staffordshire County Council and Sandon and Burston Parish Council have both now issued detailed updates.
The footbridge, part of Sandon and Burston Public Footpath 36 and the Two Saints Way, has been out of use since autumn 2023 when it was damaged by a fallen tree.
“Bridge recovery should take place by the end of May”
In an email sent to campaign organiser Nigel Bowden, County Council Chief Executive Patrick Flaherty confirmed:
“The bridge recovery should take place by the end of May, and we are aiming to have a bridge reinstated by the end of this year.”
He said the council had been working to develop a plan that considers legal, ecological, and safety requirements, adding:
“Critically, we have also been working hard to secure the funding for reinstatement of the existing bridge, plus estimating and identifying contingency funding should a full replacement be required.”
The next step will be to remove the existing structure from the river and assess whether it is suitable for repair. If it cannot be reinstated, a new bridge will be ordered and manufactured while other planning tasks are underway to reduce further delay.
Update shared with A Little Bit of Stone
In a statement sent to A Little Bit of Stone, Sandon and Burston Parish Council Chair Hugo Wildblood confirmed that:
“Teams will be onsite in May to deal with the bridge. This will include an ecology assessment, then the removal of the structure. The structure itself will be assessed for suitability for repair. If it is not repairable, there is budget to replace it.”
Mr Wildblood added that once the bridge is removed, engineers will discuss the timeline for reinstallation with council officers. Any future updates will be published on the Parish Council website at sandonandburstonpc.org.uk and shared in the council’s meeting minutes.
Hope rising after a strong community response
The April meet-up near the bridge, organised by Nigel Bowden, brought out a passionate group of residents who shared memories and stories of how the path had formed part of their daily lives – whether for dog walks, nature watching or connecting local pubs and villages.
Speaking this week, Nigel welcomed the latest progress.
“I’m delighted to hear official confirmation that work is going ahead and that by the end of 2025, we should be able to use this much-loved footpath again.
We’ve still got some way to go, but it appears things are moving in a positive direction. I look forward to seeing progress at the site in the next few weeks. Thanks to everyone who is pushing this project forward — we really appreciate the efforts being made.”
The community will now be watching closely as survey and recovery work begins. For the many locals who regularly used the path, the hope is that 2025 will finally be the year they can walk the full route once again.
2 comments
Julie Banks
Great news!! Thank you Nigel and all the village that has come together to support this, it means such a lot to be able to use the Aston to Burston Trail Two saints way.. soooon
Joe Stripp
It is good to see that the local community can get together and show their support for a good cause such as this; I look forward to being there when the bridge is re-opened. It would be nice to see people there who can remember crossing the bridge in the 1950s on the original opening day.