Footbridge frustration for parents and walkers

A POPULAR footbridge which forms a vital part of the Gustav Holst Way has been closed for a decade - leading to accusations Cheltenham Borough Council is "like an ostrich with its head buried in the sand".

- CARMELO GARCIA

A campaign group is calling on council chiefs to do the necessary work and reopen the public right of way at Pilley Footbridge in Charlton Kings.

Gloucestershire County Council as the highways authority is responsible for maintaining the footpath. But ownership of the footbridge was transferred to the Cheltenham Corporation, Cheltenham Borough Council's predecessor authority, in 1971.

However, the bridge closed in 2015 due to safety concerns and has not reopened since. Several residents, who gathered near the bridge on July 10, spoke of how important the footbridge is to them.

Its closure means parents who take their children to the Sandy Lane play area face a long diversion. And it has created a break in the Gustav Holst Way a medium distance route from Cranham to Wyck Rissington which goes through places linked to famous Cheltenham-born composer Gustav Holst.