Environment Agency Given Notice on Marsh Lock Footbridge Diversion

The Estate Manager for the Schwarzenbach family has written to the Environment Agency (EA) this week giving them notice that the temporary footpath diversion across their land will be closed on 1 April 2023.   The diversion was put in place after the closure by the EA of Marsh Lock’s footbridge because of safety issues.

The estate very quickly and kindly offered the diversion in May 2022 (over 6 months ago), building a temporary bridge over a stream to give access to walkers in both directions.

In the email sent to the EA, Alex Dick, Estate Manager for Culden Faw Ltd stating the date, he said, “There are a number of reasons they wish to do this, the primary one being the increased use of the route by horses and vehicles at that time (and the associated danger to the public and hence increased liability) and also the inordinate amount of time it is/has taken the EA to progress things. You will, I am sure, sympathise with their position which, if nothing else, might focus the EA’s minds on the urgency of the situation as it is my belief they are taking the easy option as we have provided a solution, hence the sense of urgency to fix the problem has been lost.

The reply from the EA states, “I have forwarded this to the project team working on this matter.”