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A Grade II listed footbridge at Bookham Station has been described as “unsafe” and “rusting away” by residents who are calling for it to be renovated.

The iron-clad bridge, which is the only route for commuters to go between platforms, has been a concern for more than five years with one woman saying she felt it “move under foot”.

One of the oldest bridges of its kind, the bridge dates back to 1885 and was listed in 1990 but has been in steady decline since the last time any maintenance work is believed to have been done, ten years ago.

Keith Reynolds, 72, is the Bookham Residents Association transport officer and says the group has had several people contact them about concerns. He contacted Network Rail about it earlier this week but is yet to get a response.

Mr Reynolds, of Sole Farm Road, said: “It's deteriorating and people have said it’s not safe to walk over.
"It’s very rusty looking now and even if we had a royal visit coming they would be able to make it look good very easily.

“It has [become worse] more recently but it’s been an issue for a number of years. We have noticed bits of the bridge [developing puddles] and we want something done about it before an accident happens. They need to do more preventative work.”
Mr Reynolds said that when Network Rail have had to do work on the nearby railway tunnel, which runs underneath Great Bookham Common, they have closed the station on Sundays and he sees this as an option for maintenance work on the bridge.

He added: “If it isn’t safe then people can’t get over to the second platform and what are they going to do, walk up the road, over the common, through the mud and around?

"I know it’s only a branch line but it’s a service people rely on and [the infrastructure] needs to be constantly maintained.”

Shirley Bullen, 57, of Little Bookham Street, is one of those who wants to see the bridge renovated.

She said: “It’s disgusting on Network Rail, they shouldn’t be allowing a listed bridge to get in such a bad state.

“I’m not shocked because I’ve see it rust but it’s appalling that they think it’s acceptable to not constantly look after it.
"I’m not an engineer but some bits look like they are cracking and overgrowth has sprouted through the bottom step.”

A Network Rail spokesman confirmed that they have “been contacted by a member of the public and are looking into the matter”.

I hope they can do that at my local station too. The bridge has been rusting away since long before I moved there in 2010. The local news site has also had a feature on it recently. The worst of it is on the bridge itself rather than the stairs or supporting pillars. You can't really see that from the photos taken.

I hope they can do that at my local station too. The bridge has been rusting away since long before I moved there in 2010. The local news site has also had a feature on it recently. The worst of it is on the bridge itself rather than the stairs or supporting pillars. You can't really see that from the photos taken.

BTW I have no fears walking across that bridge but others are allegedly very worried for their lives.....

http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/bridge-bookham-train-station-rusted-13628671

Grahame, perhaps you should report that to the ORR and H&S Executive...... ???

What gets me is that it is obviously more than possible to do exceptional work to restore these magnificent structures, fit for the 21st century, yet given the slightest excuse bridges such as the one at St Austell are to be removed and given away, when with a little thought they could sensibly and aesthetically be reused elsewhere on the network.

Overnight the bridge has been craned back into place although not yet in use.

Doesn't look as if its been craned back high enough for wires to pass under at some future date. ::)