AN HISTORIC footbridge over the River Thames is to be closed for extensive refurbishments, which include removing wooden panels.
Network Rail has announced that the horseshoe bridge at the Kennetmouth – where the Kennet and Avon Canal meets the River Thames – is to be cleaned, painted and use open mesh metal fencing instead of wood as its replacement.
This, Reading Borough Council says, will allow the bridge to be returned to something as close as possible to the original design.
However, when the bridge is closed for the works, pedestrians wanting to cross the river to reach Kings Meadow and into Caversham will have to undertake a mile-long detour. They will need to go along the canal towpath, into Kennet Walk, through the Forbury Retail Park and under the Napier Road tunnel.
The horseshoe bridge dates back to 1892 and is attached to Brunel’s adjoining brick railway bridge, which opened in 1839.
A target for vandals, the works will see graffiti carefully cleaned off and the structure repainted in heritage appropriate colours. This first is set to begin soon.
For Network Rail’s second phase of work later this year, it proposes to remove the bridge’s wood panels and replace them with an open mesh wiring. This will also allow the bridge to be returned as closely as possible to the original design and highlight the original design of the bridge.
Listed building consent will be required from the Council’s planning department for the second phase of works.
Over the longer term, the Council and Network Rail intend to work with the local community to explore the possibility of a ‘community mural’ created by local artists on the historic brick bridge, with materials funded by Network Rail.
A community plaque, which was attached to the bridge in the mid-1990s to mark the defeat of the then Berkshire County Council’s controversial ‘Cross Town Route’ plans, will be taken into safe storage by the Council while the work takes place. The Council will consult with the Newtown community on the refitting of the plaque to the bridge at the appropriate time.
Network Rail says that any closures will be kept to a minimum. Any diversion route is likely to be over the bridge to Kennet Walk and through the nearby Napier Road tunnel, which was re-opened by the Council in 2015.
However, when the bridge was closed previously for similar restoration works, a boat was used to ferry pedestrians from one side of the towpath to the other. The route is used by Newtown residents shopping at Tesco, as well as joggers, dog walkers and commuters heading to Reading Station or the town centre.
Tony Page, the Council’s Lead Councillor for Strategic Environment, Planning and Transport, approached Network Rail at the end of last year about the unsightly condition of the bridge. Network Rail has moved swiftly and two subsequent site meetings took place in January.
“The refurbishment of Reading’s Horseshoe Bridge is long overdue and I would like to publicly thank Network Rail for its swift response to my representations,” he said.
“The Horseshoe Bridge is very well used by the local community, particularly those walking to and from Newtown to the local supermarket and into town, but is now almost completely covered in unsightly graffiti and tags, and the paintwork is flaking and in need of a refresh. Sight lines are also poor as pedestrians cannot see around the corners as they approach the down ramps of the bridge.”
He promised: “All graffiti will be removed and the bridge will be repainted as part of the first phase of works, which will immediately improve the feeling of safety for users. Replacing the wooden panels with wire mesh will improve sightlines immeasurably and will mean the historic adjoining brick railway bridge will be visible from the ground rather than screened off.
“We are committed to consulting with the local community on the possibility of a distinctive mural on the brick bridge and the refitting of the local plaque, which will be temporarily put into safe keeping before being refitted. When complete, this work will transform the view of the Horseshoe Bridge and benefit the local community for many years to come.”
And Cllr Karen Rowland (Abbey ward), the council’s lead councillor for culture, heritage and recreation, has been involved in discussions with Network Rail about the design of materials and colours on the refurbished bridge.
“The repainting of the Horseshoe Bridge in heritage appropriate colours that are also appropriate to the landscape setting will serve to uplift the site instantly for the short term,” she said.
“Ultimately, the replacement of the wooden panels will allow views of the historic brick bridge for the first time in many decades and will allow the original open-work cross-bar design of the bridge to be better appreciated.
“Finally, I am hugely excited about working with the local community on the possibility of a community mural on the brick bridge, once these works are complete.
“Reading’s Horseshoe Bridge is a key walking route for residents in Newtown. It has stood in situ for 130 years and as a listed heritage site in an important historical landscape for Reading, it deserves to be restored it to its former glory. I’d like to thank our partners at Network Rail for their enthusiasm for what promises to be a wonderful community project.”
The bridge is on the border of Reading and Wokingham, and just by Park ward.
