Footbridge closure for 'vital' refurbishment work

A pedestrian bridge in need of "vital" improvement will close temporarily after funding was withdrawn by the government, a council said.

Reading Borough Council said the Orbit Footbridge, behind Queen's Road car park, would shut from 20 December and encouraged residents to use "well-lit public highway routes" instead.

The council said that the bridge, which was built around 1990, had deteriorated over the years.

The Department for Transport (DfT) said new funding announced on Friday meant the refurbishment would still go ahead.

The council said that the bridge's wooden decking boards needed to be replaced and its metal elements needed repainting.

During the closure, residents are being encouraged to instead use routes such as Duke Street, with signed diversions set to be in place.

The council said it had liaised with the University of Reading as it was a popular route into town for students.

The authority has estimated that £1.5m is needed for the refurbishment and for Phase 7 of the Kennetside retaining wall programme.

The required work had formed part of an overall two-year £4m investment in bridges and other structures around Reading, including the replacement of the King's Meadow footbridge.

Karen Rowland, lead councillor for environmental services and community safety, said they planned to complete the work when funding allowed "as soon as possible".

"It is obviously a disappointment that the scheduled refurbishment and repair of Orbit Footbridge has had to be postponed," she said.

"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."

Earlier the government announced Reading had been allocated £2,770,000 additional road-maintenance funding for 2025/2026.

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