PROPOSED RENOVATION OF THE BAILEY BRIDGE
As many have heard, Suffolk County Council has approved funding for the long-term preservation of the Bailey Bridge. This is excellent news particularly after the threat 2 years ago that the bridge might have been closed permanently. The Walberswick Parish Council, along with our surrounding towns and villages, are grateful to have this secured funding that will ensure that the bridge lasts for 30 years or more. However, this very welcome step has been tempered by indications that Suffolk Highways may be planning to do the renovation work this summer resulting in the bridge being closed for several months exactly as we expect to come out of our long Covid lockdown and when our businesses, families and visitors will be dependent on the Bailey Bridge more than ever.
When the WPC was informed of this possibility, we expressed our alarm in the strongest terms to our local Councillor, Richard Smith, and directly to the Suffolk County Council cabinet. We pressed on the need for there to be consultation with the local Parish Councils and key business leaders before any decisions were taken on the timing for the work. We expressed the view that a summer closure would always be bad, but that this year — when we will need the summer more than ever to recover from Covid lockdowns — it would be disastrous to close this essential artery. The Council made these points most recently to Cllr Smith at the WPC meeting on 8 March.
It is important to stress, however, that no decisions have yet been taken by Suffolk Highways. Moreover, with thanks to Andrew Reid, the Cabinet member for Highways, a meeting will be taking place later this month for Suffolk Highways to hear directly from representatives of Walberswick, Southwold, Reydon, the Harbour and the business community. As requested, Walberswick will be represented by the Chairman of the Parish Council. It is expected that Suffolk Highways will share with us at that meeting their plans and thinking and to allow the representatives to share the views of our communities. Our hope is to work together with Suffolk Highways and our local County Councillors to get this essential renovation, but to make sure that it is done in a way that its impact is mitigated to the extent possible. This would include, critically, delaying the work until after the summer or failing that, setting up a temporary foot crossing or similar solution.
Please feel free to send your views via email to the Parish Clerk (Walberswickclerk@gmail.com) no later than Thursday, 18 March. The Council is also collecting data that is available from the Walberswick Car Parks, the WCLC and from businesses on visitor numbers and the severe impacts a summer closure would cause.
The Council will share the information it gets from the meeting through this website and the Village News.
Josie Bassinette, Chairman, Walberswick Parish Council