Metal fences to protect walkers will be installed as investigation work on a bridge, jointly owned by Herefordshire and Gloucestershire County Councils, takes place.

Gloucestershire County Council had to close the Lydbrook Bridge in January this year when a routine inspection found that the 92m long pedestrian walkway had timber deck boarding that was loose and rotten. In some places the decking had fallen into the river Wye and was missing. It had become dangerous for anyone using it.

For safety reasons large ply boards were put up at each end to prevent people from crossing the bridge, but it has been repeatedly damaged, so the council has arranged for strong metal security fencing to be installed that can not be vandalised.

The bridge was originally constructed around 1869-1873 from what are thought to be wrought iron beams supported by iron columns.

The overall bridge structure is suffering from significant corrosion with large areas of the wrought iron section being lost below the timber footway. There are parts of the footway which are not supported and are unsafe to stand on, so the county council has employed a specialist roped access and diving survey company to inspect the bridge and make a report.

When the report is received the council will look at the options for repair, although a permanent repair to the bridge is expected to cost in excess of £700,000 so the bridge is likely to remain closed for sometime.

Cllr Colin Guyton, local county councillor for Drybrook and Lydbrook said, “It’s always disappointing when a facility like this has to close, but age is obviously winning. I ask everyone who’s previously used the bridge to respect the council’s decision which is meant to keep people safe.”

Lydbrook Bridge is one of the four remaining (of the original ten) rail bridges to span the River Wye. It was constructed to carry the connection between the Ross-Monmouth Railway and the Severn and Wye Railway at Lydbrook junction station, for the Edison Swan Cable Works.