Parish councillors are continuing to raise concerns over a 'dangerous' diversion route after the indefinite closure of a bridge in Marlow last year.

Temple Bridge, which connects Marlow to Hurley in Berkshire just upstream of Temple Lock, was closed by the Environment Agency (EA) in May 2023 following safety concerns.

Marlow resident Steve Tilbury, who passed the bridge as crewmembers were putting barriers around it last spring, said part of the structure had "completely fallen away", leaving a "sizeable hole" in its walkway.

Pedestrians following the Thames Path were redirected to a route along Temple Lane, Marlow Road and Bisham Road - but as early as June last year, concerns were raised on both sides of the river around the safety of the diversion. 

And, 15 months on - with no update on an expected reopening date from the EA - those concerns continue to persist, with members of Bisham Parish Council drawing attention to the risk of sending walkers along a road with a 60-mph speed limit as recently as at a Royal Borough Of Windsor and Maidenhead Council meeting in July.

A campaign group of Marlow and Hurley-based residents also set up a petition urging the EA to find a different, "speedy solution" to the loss of a walking route last year - but it was rejected by central government after it was judged to "require action on a local level" and "fail to call for specific action".

READ MORE: ‘A lack of care’: Concern over ‘abandoned boats left to rot’ on the Thames in Marlow

Campaigner Karl Matthews told the Free Press that the diversion, which follows "a narrow path with cars racing past", was "more dangerous" than the bridge. 

The EA confirmed that an assessment of how best to keep the bridge safe was completed last year, adding that specialists had advised there was "no way" to safely open it to pedestrians in the short term.

A spokesperson previously said the alternative path was "the shortest route (available) using public footpaths and highways" and pointed to its approval by the responsible local authority and the National Trail.

They also said the diversion "reflects the route users of the Thames Path would have taken before the bridge was built" in the 1980s.

However, in light of what looks to be a long-term repair project, the department has agreed to "look into providing a shorter diversion through private land".

Adding: "This will need the landowners' agreement, and the cost of the work needed to make the route safe must be affordable. We will provide an update in due course."