Surveys of an ‘unsafe’ footbridge between Marlow and Hurley will begin this month – 16 months after its closure sent walkers on the Thames Path down a ‘dangerous’ diversion route.

Temple Bridge, which connects the Buckinghamshire and Berkshire towns just upstream of Temple Lock, was closed by the Environment Agency in May 2023 after safety concerns.

While the government department was reportedly told by specialists last year there was “no way” it could open in the short term, new “investigatory surveys”, beginning this month, could pave the way for an accelerated schedule of repair works.

That’s what local campaigners are hoping, at least – Marlow resident and keen runner Karl Matthews, who lost his usual running route when the bridge was closed, described the progress as “great and very positive” and is crossing his fingers for a firm answer on the structure’s future from the EA this month.

Matthews, who submitted a petition to central government calling for “a speedy solution” to the closure of part of the Thames Path walk last summer, has also sounded the alarm over a “dangerous” alternative path via Marlow Road and Bisham Road – a concern reiterated by Bisham Parish Council after receiving reports of people “being clipped by car wing mirrors” on the stretch.

The EA said in August it was “looking into providing a shorter diversion through private land” and hopes are now pinned on the results of the assessment to “fully understand the extent of (required) refurbishment” and “return the bridge to a safe working condition”.

Temple Bridge pictured in May 2023 (Image: NQ)

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A spokesperson told the Free Press that staff had been on site on Friday, October 4, carrying out initial inspections ahead of more comprehensive “investigatory surveys taking place from Monday, October 14 for several days”.

They added: “We are actively progressing the necessary investigations to fully detail the scope of the refurbishment works.

“Unfortunately, the increased river flow experienced last winter prevented some of these investigations from taking place as they require a water-based working platform.

“We are now procuring a specialist contractor to undertake this activity.”

The assessment will focus on the central section of the wooden footbridge to establish whether it “can be refurbished or requires replacement”.

And while the spokesperson acknowledged that funding for the necessary repairs could be a hurdle, amid “competing projects in our capital works programme”, they said “partnership funding” could be sourced to help its “prioritisation” in the EA agenda.

Temple Bridge was built in 1989 as part of the Thames Path following a campaign by Maidenhead resident Margaret Bowdery who, after her death in 2016, was remembered by local charity the Open Spaces Society as a “redoubtable” figure who “saved countless walkers from death or injury by securing safer routes”.