Locals and MP call for National Trust to bring back Stiffkey marsh bridge
The National Trust says a new bridge could harm local wildlife
The National Trust is resisting calls to replace a bridge on Stiffkey marshes, saying it could harm wildlife, despite warnings that people are getting stranded by the tide.
The creek crossing was removed in March last year due to fears it was structurally unsafe.
This led to an uproar among locals who demanded a new one be built and warned that visitors risked being cut off by rising tides without one.
The National Trust, which owns the land, said the structure would be replaced last summer, but no work was carried out.
Now the organisation has said it is reconsidering whether it would be the “right course of action” to build a new one after all.
It says a new bridge would cost £250,000 and could have a negative impact on the environment, by attracting more visitors to the area, thus harming local wildlife.
The news has angered those calling for a replacement, including North Norfolk MP Duncan Baker:
“Removing the bridge is not stopping visitors but it is seriously endangering people who do not realise how fast the tide fills the creeks, leaving visitors stranded,” he said.
He said the bridge was a “vital safety link” and that the lifeboat had been sent out twice last year to people cut off by the tide because there was no bridge.
He also argued the bridge had been there since the First World War, without harming the environment.
A National Trust spokeswoman said it was a complex area and the bridge would need to be able to withstand footfall and tidal forces, meaning it is not a quick or cheap fix, with quotes coming in at around £250,000.
“We also need to consider ongoing maintenance costs and how climate change and rising sea levels will likely impact the lifespan of the bridge,” she said.
“As a charity, we need to ensure that charitable funds are spent appropriately.
“However, the decision as to whether the bridge should be replaced isn’t down to cost alone.
“This is one of the biggest areas of salt marsh in Europe, which provides a vital habitat to wildlife and locks up carbon from the atmosphere, both of which can be impacted by footfall and disturbance.”
A final decision on replacing the bridge should be made in the coming weeks.
Signage remains in place to remind visitors that the bridge is no longer there.