Safety Concerns Over Proposal for Grove Park Footbridge

Network Rail submits plant to temporarily remove central span


Visualisation of Deans Close Bridge from Network Rail's planning submission

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Lights Installed on Deans Close Railway Bridge

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Concerns have been raised over public safety following the submission of a plan to upgrade the footbridge over the railway lines in Deans Close in Grove Park.

Few details have been given with the planning application about the timing of the work but documents show that the central span of the footbridge will have to be removed during the project.

We have asked Network Rail when this is likely to occur and for how long the bridge will be closed but are yet to receive a response.

A local residents’ group is concerned that years of hard work in getting improved lighting for the bridge may be wasted if the lights are to be lost during the changes being made to the bridge. The lights were installed just last September following a five year campaign.

Ruth Cadbury MP visits the bridge in 2015
Ruth Cadbury MP visits the bridge in 2015

Andy Murray, Chair of the Grove Park Group said, “Obviously we welcome any initiative to improve the state of the bridge itself, which is indeed in urgent need of upgrade.

“However, having made Hounslow Council pay for the installation of lights on their own property, it's a shame that Network Rail didn't have the foresight to upgrade the bridge then.

“Even now, we see no inclusion of the new lights in the new construction plan, so we have represented to members of the Hounslow Planning Committee that the replacement of any lights removed in the upgrade process must be made a condition of approving the plans. And if restoring lights for the safety of users is not in the current plans, it must be included in the promised, future, more detailed plans.

“In addition, residents will want to know when the works are planned and how long they will take, especially if the works take place in the winter months. The alternative route from Strand on the Green to Gunnersbury Station is via a dark path from Chiswick Village up to Wellesley Road, so it would be advisable that the necessity for this detour be kept to a minimum.”

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May 24, 2021


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