Stones Road footbridge replacement delayed.

Although the old reinforced concrete footbridge on the footpath joining Stones Road to Blenheim Road and Miles Road has now successfully been removed, the extra costs of the delays to this work have depleted the budget to the extent that some of the further work needed to re-open the "tunnel" or underpass will have to be left until the next financial year. This means that instead of opening later this year, the new route will not be available until next summer.

The main cause of the cost over-run has been the last-minute withdrawal of permission for temporary access to the underpass site across the site of the former Lintons Lane school. In addition it was found at the eleventh hour that somehow a Great Crested Newt had got onto the work site, causing further delay and expense.

This is a further blow to the many residents who normally use this footpath to get to work or to school. However the footpath cannot legally be closed permanently, so the work should still go ahead eventually."