Stones Road disappointment for local pupils
Following delays caused by the owners of the former Lintons Lane school, the closure of the Stones Road footbridge is now planned to go ahead with effect from next Monday 16th August. Unfortunately the replacement crossing though the underpass or "tunnel" will not be available until some time after the start of the new school year. Regrettably this will affect safe routes to school for pupils at both Epsom Primary School and Blenheim High School.
The latest problem has arisen because at the last minute Stanhope plc the developers who now own the former Lintons Lane school site, withdrew their permission given earlier for a temporary access across their land to the underpass site. Access for construction work can now only be obtained from Blenheim Road and Stones Road, necessitating changes of plan and delaying the start of work on the underpass.
However the state of the old reinforced concrete bridge is now such that for safety reasons it has to be closed straight away so that advantage can be taken of a scheduled "track possession" when the railway line can be closed and the bridge removed. Concrete has been spalling from the steps for many years, allowing the reinforcement to corrode.
It is not yet known when access through the underpass will be available.