Schwarzenbach Family Offer Temporary Footpath Around Marsh Lock

The Schwarzenbach family have today offered temporary access to their land to solve the problem created by the Environment Agency’s sudden unannounced closure of the footbridge at Marsh Lock last week for walkers along the towpath.

The footbridge was closed on safety grounds and the Environment Agency (EA) are undertaking detailed investigations into the elements of concern and also programming mitigation works where practicable.  There have been no updates from the EA as to how long the work would take.

Alex Dick, Estate Manager, Culden Faw Ltd said, “The family would like to help the community and users of the footpath and have therefore agreed for temporary access to be allowed on the route shown in blue on the map below.  They ask that people avoid wandering off in all directions as there is a danger of them getting injured by livestock and horse related activities in the general area if they do not stick to the agreed route. Our staff will open the gates necessary to facilitate this as well as erecting some temporary signage until the Council can get something more official in place. Hannah Gutteridge, Thames Path Manager for Oxfordshire Council, will arrange for this to happen on Monday.”