Central Reading footbridge to close
The 'orbit' bridge links a major car park with the town centre
An important footbridge which crosses the Kennet linking a major car park with central Reading is to close indefinitely for safety reasons.
The footbridge, behind Queen’s Road car park, has been in need of strengthening and refurbishment since it reopened following a temporary closure for Reading Festival.
The council say it's closure is because of the withdrawal of previously announced Department for Transport funding.
It is estimated that £1.5m is needed to complete the Orbit Footbridge refurbishment and Phase 7 of the Kennetside retaining wall programme, which has also been postponed at this time due to the removal of the funding.
Built around 1990 and mainly a steel structure with wooden decking boards, the council say Orbit Footbridge has deteriorated over the years and needs to have the decking boards replaced and the metal elements of the bridge repainted.
Whilst the bridge is closed, residents are being encouraged to instead use well-lit public highway routes such as Duke Street as an alternative, with signed diversions set to be in place. With this being a popular route into town for many of its student population, the Council has also liaised with the University of Reading to ensure that messaging is shared.
Disappointment
Karen Rowland, Lead Councillor for Environmental Services and Community Safety, said:
“It is obviously a disappointment that the scheduled refurbishment and repair of Orbit Footbridge has had to be postponed, and in the interim with the protection and safety of our residents and pedestrians being our primary concern we’ve taken the regrettable decision to close the footbridge. We hope residents will understand, and we are fortunate that there are nearby alternatives for foot traffic through the area until the bridge is able to be repaired. It is very much in our plans to complete this work when funding allows as soon as possible.
“Already this year we’ve invested in some important and well received bridge improvements, including the new wider and modern King’s Meadow Footbridge, and vital work to improve and protect the nearby Grade II Listed High Bridge at Duke Street which was restored sympathetically.
“This does also highlight the challenges around funds for such maintenance and the necessity for essential funding to allow us to maintain our bridges and structures. We will always prioritise “safety first” with all our bridges and we will continue to work hard to improve structures like these for residents.”