New Milton councillors’ frustration over Hampshire County Council …

NEW Milton councillors have shared their frustration over lack of action to replace an “unsafe” town centre railway footbridge.

For several years the town council has been calling on Hampshire County Council to address the Station Road bridge over the line, with concerns over wire netting at its side.

But a recent amenities committee meeting heard from HCC project engineer Phil Yexley that there had been no change regarding any action.

There has been a long-running campaign to replace the Station Road railway footbridge due ‘unsafe’ wire netting

The update, read out by town clerk Graham Flexman, also stated there had been a shuffling of personnel at Network Rail.

Cllr Valya Schooling has been particularly vocal in the campaign to sort the bridge and its netting.

Asking if the town council could do anything to spur on action, she emphasised that the bridge was unsafe and should be urgently replaced.

But Mr Flexman believed nothing would be done until HCC agreed the bridge was unsafe.

He said it seemed as if it was waiting for something to happen before taking action.

Cllr Schooling called for a meeting to be arranged with HCC representatives to press the point again.

HCC had said the bridge was one of 1,750 it looks after which are scheduled for replacement in due course.

Responding to the criticism, a spokesperson said: “The existing footbridge on Station Road continues to be regularly inspected, and any necessary repairs are being undertaken to keep it serviceable and open.

“We have a design for a replacement bridge, and discussions with Network Rail are ongoing regarding the next steps.”