Footbridge reopening further delayed by flooding

The reopening of a town footbridge, described as a "vital link" by campaigners, has been delayed again - this time because of flooding.

Work on the White Bridge in Halesworth, Suffolk, was due to be finished by 10 January after being closed since August 2022, but highways officials said "due to severe flooding the works have been delayed".

The replacement of the crossing, known as Blyth Bridge, began in September 2024 but its completion has been pushed back a number of times.

Last year, Suffolk Highways also had to encourage water voles, which are a threatened species, to relocate away from the area, but the process was "postponed due to the location being badly flooded".

The project was previously delayed when workers found Himalayan Balsam, an invasive species of weed, at the site.

White Bridge, which was closed after structural engineers deemed it unsafe, was one of the main routes to the largest Millennium Green in England.

Resident Pat Jones, who has campaigned to get the bridge reopened as quickly as possible, said: "This is a vital route for people living on the Holton side of Halesworth who want to walk to the town centre or get to the Millennium Green.

"I know people who have moved out of Halesworth because the bridge has been closed for so long as they just can't cope. It's such an important bridge and I've tried to make them realise just how important it is.

"They said it was going to finished by October, and then it was November and then December and now I understand it's been delayed probably until the end of January."

A spokesperson for Suffolk Highways said: "'Following severe flooding, the bridge improvement works have been delayed.

"Once water levels drop, our teams will reassess the works programme and issue further communications via our Suffolk Highways social media."

In previous updates, Suffolk Highways had thanked the community for its patience over the bridge closure.

In December it said the final steps included reinstalling the weir and riffle, tidying the site and it was aiming to have all the works completed by 10 January.

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