Flanchford Bridge rebuilding project delayed again

THE replacement of flood- damaged Flanchford Bridge has been delayed yet again.

Surrey County Council now says the six-month project to replace the crossing over the River Mole between Leigh and Reigate, due to start this month, won't begin before October.

Leigh Parish Council's chairman has dubbed the scheduling, just in time for winter, "crazy".

Part of the bridge was washed away by floods in December 2013. It is open to light traffic, although HGVs are often seen flouting the restrictions to avoid the detour.

A replacement bridge, costing in excess of £800,000, has been planned for 18 months.

Chairman of Leigh Parish Council Jean Parker said: "We are actually amazed they are thinking about doing it in October because of the weather.

"The river could be quite high by then and they need to damn the river to do the bridge anyway.

"We as a council have suggested it should be left now until the spring. The fact it is going to take longer isn't too much of a problem, we just get used to it.

"It is the businesses we are worried about."

Surrey County Council spokesman Andy Robinson said the project slipped because work to remove water mains and BT cables couldn't be done in time for the July start date. However, it will be carried out in the next couple of weeks. He said a contractor had now been appointed.

The work is programmed to start in mid October, but will be subject to weather conditions.

Any flooding during the six-month project is likely to extend the time it takes – and the total time the crossing is out of use.

With no information about the bridge project on the county council's website, landlady at The Plough in Leigh, Sarah Bloomfield, has been among those wondering when work will start.

"When the bridge was shut after the flooding it was financial suicide," she said. "When it reopened, it was like somebody turned the tap back on.

"We have got to get it done, that makes sense. It should all be back to normal so you can drive in and out but why does it have to take so long?

"No one has officially told us anything and there is nothing on the council's website."

The current bridge will be replaced with a single span and carry one lane of traffic plus a footway on one side.

Council bosses initially said the new bridge might be constructed last summer.

They then aimed to do it in the last financial year then set this month as the start date.